Return
by Tsunami Storm
Summary: Something unexpected has happened. There's never been a student at Hogwarts from America before! Follow Nicole's story as she meets new friends, makes a few annoying enemies, and figures out what her purpose is in the Wizarding World. And possibly, who she really is. All canon pairings, plus some friendship between canon characters and my OC. Rated K.
1. The Letter and Diagon Alley

Hello everyone! I'm back with yet another story! This one is based on the Harry Potter series, the movies and books. I have had this idea for a while–ever since I read the fourth book–and it was reinforced after watching the fourth movie. All canon pairings, plus some _**friendship**_ between some of the canon characters and my OC. Rated K. I hope you all enjoy reading this fic.

Chapter 1: The Letter and Diagon Alley

* * *

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chief Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Aevum,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted

at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please

find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no

later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Eleven-year-old Nicole Aevum read and reread the letter at least ten times, not believing what she saw. _Me? Go to Hogwarts? No way! There must be some mistake!_ Yet the address was correct, and they'd even spelled her last name right. [Inside joke for me. People are always spelling my name wrong.] There was no mistaking it. Nicole looked over the equipment list once again and said to herself, "Diagon Alley, huh? I've got no idea where that is. Hopefully they'll send someone over to help me find all those things." She sighed and bit the inside of her cheek nervously. She was sure that her foster parents would allow her to attend Hogwarts, and she wouldn't even need to beg them to take a trip to England. It was their life's ambition to someday tour the British Isles, and after ten long years they finally were able to afford it. Nicole's birth parents had been very wealthy, and had left her quite a large inheritance when they passed on. Nicole's new family insisted that she save the money for college in the future, and she had kept it safe all these years.

…

A few weeks passed, and Nicole and her adopted parents were en route to London to start their three-week vacation in Great Britain and the surrounding lands. Even though Nicole was responsible for an eleven-year-old, her parents usually insisted on exploring the nearby shops together. That was not much of a problem however, for shopping wasn't that much of a big deal for her anyway. While her guardians were rifling through a clothing store down the street, Nicole spied a quaint two-story tavern with a swinging sign above the door dubbed 'The Leaky Cauldron'. Recognizing the name as the hidden entrance to Diagon Alley, she slowly opened the door and stepped inside.

Upon entering the dark tavern, she was greeted by Tom the bartender, who rewarded her with a toothy, friendly grin. Nicole nodded back and smiled. She liked the man. She approached the bar and asked where she could find the entrance to Diagon Alley. The bartender grinned even more widely and answered, "Ah, new student a' 'ogwarts, eh? No matter, it's simple enough. Jus' walk out tha' back door and tap the bricks around the hole in a certain order. It's three up an' two across. Easy, wot?"

Nicole nodded, thanked the man again, and was just about to turn toward the back door of the tavern when she spotted a small gray tabby with strange markings around its eyes perched on the edge of the table. Somehow she knew that this was no ordinary cat, and inclined her head slightly in greeting. The cat did the same, then lightly leaped off the table to the floor and sauntered over to the door to Diagon Alley. Nicole quickly followed and opened the door for the cat. It ran into the space before Nicole could blink, and had disappeared when she entered the space. Instead, a tall rather intimidating woman in emerald robes stood near the back wall. She had strange horn-rimmed glasses that matched the eye-markings on the tabby perfectly. Nicole slowly approached the woman and quavered, "H-hello."

The strange woman smiled and replied in a slightly Irish accent, "Good morning, miss. I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts, Head of the noble House of Gryffindor, and teacher of the Transfiguration class. Am I correct in assuming that you are Miss Aevum, the student from America?" she queried, slightly raising an eyebrow. Nicole nodded, too shy to speak aloud. Professor McGonagall nodded and said swiftly, "Very well. Professor Dumbledore requested that I accompany you around Diagon Alley today, as you are most likely unfamiliar with how things are done in the Wizarding World. Follow me."

After she had said this, Professor McGonagall whipped out her wand and tapped the bricks in the proper order. The brick wiggled slightly and slid back of its own accord. Soon the other bricks began to follow suit, and before long an archway appeared before a wide-eyed Nicole and an unimpressed McGonagall, who looked as if she had seen this phenomenon hundreds of times before. In reality she probably had. She marched briskly through the archway, Nicole close behind her. "Now," McGonagall said, looking straight forward at a white-marble building, "the first thing that we need to do is exchange your Muggle currency for Wizarding money. The best place to do this is Gringott's, the Wizarding bank. However you may want to keep on your toes. Some of these goblins can be rather– unpleasant."

Nicole gulped nervously, but nodded anyway and followed. Nicole raised an eyebrow when she read the inscription on the door, quickly reassuring herself that she was not up to any mischief. When they approached the exchange booth, Nicole quickly gave her envelope of cash to the goblin Gornuk, who began rifling through the bills faster than she ever thought possible. After mere seconds, the goblin finished and said something to one of his associates in Gobbledygook. The phrase made no sense to Nicole, but when the goblin returned with a large sack of Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts, she guessed what the statement had meant. After the transaction had been completed, Nicole thanked the goblin and followed her guide out of the bank. The goblin watched the young girl leave with a benevolent smile.

…

Upon leaving Gringott's, Nicole perused her equipment list once again and decided to purchase her robes first. She hated shopping for clothes, so she wanted to get that out of the way. After leaving Madam Malkin's, McGonagall accompanied Nicole to each shop on her list, checking off each item as they bought it. Soon all that was left to get was her animal and wand, two of the most important items for a wizard or witch to have. Nicole couldn't decide between two owls–a Snowy owl and a Barn owl–but eventually chose the latter. Christening her 'Moon', Nicole paid the shopkeeper the required amount of Galleons for the bird, cage and supplies, then left the shop to enter the last one on her list, Ollivander's.

Entering the shop, Nicole sneezed. There was so much dust in the air that it looked like a thick fog. A wheeled ladder rolled from the back of the shop, and a white-haired old man stood on one of the rungs. "Aaah. Another young talent destined for great things. I assume that you are bound for Hogwarts, my dear?" the man breathed. Nicole smiled shyly and nodded her head. "I see! No finer school of magic, in my humble opinion. Many greats have come from Hogwarts, and many more will, I am sure! Now to business. Which is your wand arm?"

Nicole shifted her position slightly and answered, "Well sir I'm ambidextrous, but I usually use my right hand to write." An enchanted tape measure suddenly flew out of Mr. Ollivander's pocket at that moment and began measuring Nicole's arms. She helpfully spread her arms out and widened the gap between her feet to make the process easier. Meanwhile Ollivander was rummaging through the various cubbyholes, muttering to himself. After a few minutes, he absentmindedly waved his wand at the tape, and it ceased its measurements immediately and flew back into his pocket. He then selected a wand box and carefully removed it from its resting place.

"Try this one," Mr. Ollivander said, holding the wand by its tip, "Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches. Nice and supple."

Nicole tried it, but she had barely raised her arm when the wand was snatched from her grip. "On second thought," Ollivander stated. "I feel that this wand is destined for another. Let's try– this one." he continued, handing Nicole another box. "Fourteen inches and made of willow, with a unicorn hair core. Excellent for defensive magic."

Nicole tried it and waved it at the ladder that Ollivander had just vacated. The ladder _whoosh_ed back into the shop and slammed into the back wall. Needless to say, it too was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander. "No, no, definitely not!" he muttered, summoning back the wheeled ladder and moving through the shelves. After a few minutes, he returned muttering, "Third time's the charm," and handed another box to Nicole. "Dragon heartstring, and made of fine vine wood. Fifteen inches, quite whippy."

Hoping not to have a disastrous result like the last time, Nicole slowly raised the wand and shut tight her eyes. Although it felt a little closer to being right, it was with some relief that she noticed that nothing happened. "Apparently not," Ollivander commented. She carefully handed the wand back to its maker, and then spied an oddly-colored box at the very back of the shop. She asked the aged man what wand was in the golden box, and he looked at it and quickly replied, "Oh no. That will _definitely_ be the wrong one. I've had too many 'misses' with that wand. It's been in here longer than I can remember. That is the only wand that was not made by an Ollivander. It was given to me by my father, and he received it from his father, and so on. I don't even know how old it is. But it is quite unique."

Nicole shrugged her shoulders and replied, "Let's just try it, Mr. Ollivander. Maybe that wand will choose me. You never know unless you try, right?"

Ollivander grimaced, but then nodded and walked to the back of the shop. He removed the box with great care, and carried it almost reverently over to the young witch-to-be. Nicole carefully accepted the box from him, and slowly lifted the lid from it and set it on the desk. Nestled in a blanket of blue velvet was the strangest wand Nicole had ever seen. It was pure silver except for the handle, and shaped like a unicorn's horn. The handle appeared to be made out of mother of pearl, and Nicole studied the unique instrument appreciatively. "Unicorn horn and dragon heartstring, exactly twelve inches," Ollivander said distractedly. "This wand was apparently manufactured as some kind of magical experiment. Until now it has never accepted a wielder, and I only present it to those who have a hard time finding the right wand in my store."

Nicole continued to stare at the magnificent object for a few more moments, then slowly and carefully lifted the wand from its wrappings. As she held it in her hand, she instinctively knew that this was the right wand for her. As if in answer, cerulean rays of light shot out of the tip of the wand, danced and swirled around the room, circled the inhabitants, then returned to the wand. The old Mr. Ollivander smiled in approval and even McGonagall lifted one eyebrow in surprise. "It seems that the 'odd wand' has finally chosen a wielder. I must say, it is about time." the wand crafter noted.

McGonagall frowned at Ollivander: "What do you mean by that, Ollivander? This wand differs slightly from more traditional designs, granted. But the way you say it makes it sound as though it had other unusual features to it. I would guess that Ms. Aevum would like to hear more about those just as much as I do, isn't that right?" Nicole nodded as she placed 30 Galleons–the price on the box's lid–on the small desk.

"Well the horn of a unicorn was chosen for a reason, as you can probably guess." Ollivander smiled mysteriously, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Even though there are plenty of other less-expensive materials available in today's wizarding world, nothing else could have been used for a wand that had been designed for this very purpose: To withstand the casting of a Resurrection Charm. Spell-casting of this magnitude would shatter most usual wands, but not this one, I'm convinced. Of course, it has never been tried, for the casting of a spell to raise the dead comes at a high cost. With each time that a soul is forced back into the realm of the living, the wielder's own life force is drained in order to fuel the charm in a manner similar to the outlawed art of sanguimancy."

Nicole nodded slowly, trying to process all of this new information. "To cast the charm, one must raise the wand over one's head like so:" Ollivander continued, raising his arm and straightening his elbow, so that his arm was perfectly straight, and Nicole mirrored his actions. "After this, one must turn their arm in small counter-clockwise circles. I believe this movement is required because you are essentially turning back the clock. Then one brings the wand down in a swishing motion in the direction of the individual to be returned, then calls out the incantation, 'Revivius!', which will–"

"Thank you Mr. Ollivander, that's quite enough!" McGonagall cut him short, about whose presence Nicole had already begun to forget while she had eagerly listened to Mr. Ollivander's explanations. Now the young girl was startled by the cold severity in her future teacher's voice.

McGonagall led Nicole out of the shop, back onto the street. "Here's a piece of advice for you, Nicole. Forget that load of poppycock Ollivander has been talking about. He may be a brilliant craftsman, but he has no idea of the way a _responsible_ adult is supposed to act," she explained while she walked down Diagon Alley, her emerald cape billowing behind her. To some degree at least, Nicole could understand the anger in McGonagall's voice while she was struggling to keep up with her.

On her way back to the Leaky Cauldron, she passed a very large man in a huge brown overcoat accompanying a rather skinny boy with glasses. They looked as if they were halfway through buying all of the equipment needed for Hogwarts. As they passed her, Nicole spotted a faint scar on the boy's forehead that was shaped like a lightning-bolt. She gasped softly to herself, _That's Harry Potter!_ Then she smiled and returned to the Leaky Cauldron and from there returned to the hotel room where her family was staying. Dropping off her supplies and affectionately petting Moon and giving her food and water, Nicole returned to the clothing store that her foster parents had been shopping in and daydreamed of what her first year at Hogwarts would be like.

* * *

End of chapter 1

Next chapter teaser: Platform 9¾ and Sorting

Here is chapter 1 for you! Like I said in the above comments, I've had this idea bouncing in my head ever since I read the fourth book for the first time. All the way back in 2001. Wow. _Long_ time ago.

I've got a challenge for some of you 'Harry Potter' experts. I mention three wands that do not work for Nicole in this story. However they are all destined for characters we know. If you can figure out which character gets which wand, something cool will happen!

For the absurd price of Nicole's wand, I went with approximate calculations of the items it took to make it. A unicorn horn costs 21 Galleons, the dragon heartstring core probably cost around 5 Galleons, and the mother-of-pearl handle was probably somewhere around 4 Galleons. Add it all up and Voila! 30 Galleons. Eesh. Expensive!

Constructive Criticism/Suggestions will be carefully considered and added,

Compliments will be eaten like cookies, *gets crazed look in eye* MMM, COOKIES–

And flames will be put in the fireplace where they belong.

Tsunami Storm


	2. King's Cross and Sorting

Here's the long-awaited chapter 2! Read, Enjoy, and Review!

* * *

_BONG!_ The station clock sounded its last chime as the hour hand pointed to 10:00. Nicole looked at it with trepidation, knowing that she was running out of time. If she couldn't find the correct way to get onto Platform 9¾, she'd miss the train to Hogwarts, which leaves at exactly 11:00.

"Excuse me," Nicole called over to a station conductor, who was talking to a young boy with black hair and green eyes. The man shook his head at the boy and turned away, looking to Nicole. "Could you tell me how to get to Platform 9¾?"

"What is it with you kids and your Platform 9¾ gibberish? For the last time, there is no such thing! Now move along and take your childish pranks somewhere else!" the conductor growled, then stomped away. Nicole backed away, wondering what it was that she'd done wrong. As she continued to back up, she accidentally bumped into a young man who looked like he was about thirteen.

"Oops. Pardon me." he said politely, an apologetic smile on his face. Nicole also smiled sheepishly, knowing that _she_ had bumped into _him_, not the other way around.

"Are you headed for Hogwarts too?" he asked, and Nicole nodded. "I just got my supplies a few weeks ago, but I can't seem to find anyone who knows how to get onto the platform."

"Well you've come to the right place." the boy laughed. "I'm going back for my third year. I can show you how to get there. Follow me." he offered, and Nicole followed shyly behind him as they both pushed their trolleys full of luggage. Passing an archway and coming up on the next one, he suddenly turned about and faced the wall between platforms 9 and 10. "All you have to do is run straight at that wall and you'll get onto the platform. That's all there is to it." he explained kindly, but Nicole couldn't help but gulp with apprehension.

"It's easy." he encouraged. "I know the wall _looks_ perfectly solid, but it's just charmed to look that way to fool the Muggles, or non-magic folk. A witch or wizard like you and myself will pass right through no problem, trolley and all." he smiled, then pulled his trolley back as Nicole gathered her courage and lined up her cart to run through the portal.

"Ladies first." he offered, and Nicole smiled at the chivalrous gesture. Such gentlemanliness was rare in this day and age. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, then pushed her trolley toward the seemingly solid wall. She closed her eyes to brace for the impact, but it never came. Instead she found herself on the other side of the barrier and staring at a huge black train engine emblazoned with the Hogwarts crest. She was so mystified by the sight that she didn't notice the boy appear through the barrier behind her and wheel his trolley to the baggage car. He'd smiled at her, but she didn't see it.

After she too had dropped off her luggage in the baggage car and bade goodbye to her owl, Nicole stepped onto one of the passenger cars just as the conductor called "All aboard? Let's go!"

…

After several passes up and down the various cars on the train, Nicole finally came to one compartment with a single occupant. She gasped. It was the boy from earlier! She shyly opened the door, and he looked over. "Excuse me, do you mind? Everywhere else is packed full." she asked.

The teenager smiled at her again. "Not at all. Take a seat, there's plenty of room." With that he gestured over to the seat across from him, and Nicole sat down gratefully. "Thanks." she sighed. The boy nodded.

"So I didn't catch your name before." the boy commented conversationally.

"Oh, it's Nicole. Nicole Aevum." she answered, and the boy's gray eyes glimmered in recognition. "Ah, so you're the new student from America. I've read about you in the Daily Prophet. That's our Wizarding newspaper." he explained to Nicole's look of confusion. "It's created a bit of a stir, your story. You must be something else if you got an invitation to come all the way to Hogwarts." he supplied, causing Nicole's face to turn red in embarrassment. "Are your parents powerful wizards?" he asked, looking quite interested.

"My parents– aren't around anymore." Nicole explained, dropping her gaze to the floor. The boy immediately adopted a sympathetic expression. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's all right." Nicole answered quietly. "They died when I was very young. About three, I think. Then I was adopted by Ann and Lee Sierra. They're both wonderful parents, and they raised me well. I couldn't have asked for a better substitute family."

The boy smiled, and Nicole continued. "I've always had these weird dreams, though. Ever since I was little. First something really terrible happens, and then there's a stream of cerulean blue light that whizzes by, and then a really bright white light. Then I wake up. I don't know if they're nightmares or what, but they always end the same way. And even if I'm sad during the dream, I always wake up smiling and feeling really good about myself. I can't explain it."

"Well that _definitely_ proves you're witch material, if nothing else. Kids under eleven years old with magic in their blood often can't control their abilities, thus strange things often happen around them that they can't explain. Especially when they're angry or scared." the boy commented.

"That _does_ explain some things." Nicole muttered back, remembering some of the more humorous 'accidents' around her home when she was growing up.

"See?" he laughed again. Just then an elderly witch pushing a trolley full of goodies wheeled her cart to their door and stopped. "Anything sweet for you dearies?" she asked kindly, and both Nicole and the boy stood up. "Oh wow, it all looks so good! I don't know which to choose!" Nicole gasped, and the teen grinned. "I'd recommend the 'Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans'. It's a box full of surprises, you never know what you're going to get."

Nicole went with his suggestion, and also purchased a sample of everything but the licorice wands. She never had liked licorice. The boy had selected a packet of Cauldron Cakes and a Pumpkin Pasty, along with a small box of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum. After they had handed their coins to the witch, they sat down to enjoy their snacks.

…

Eventually they ate their way to the Beans, and Nicole grimaced when she popped the first one into her mouth. "Blech! Vomit! Gross!" then she stood up and spat it out the window. She sat back down and glared at her new friend, who was laughing. "I _told_ you it was a 'box full of surprises'!" he snickered.

"You did that on purpose!" Nicole scowled, put out, but then she smiled. She knew it was all in good fun.

"Guilty." he laughed again, and picked the next bean and popped it into his mouth. He grimaced too, and smiled. "See? I got earwax. Now we're even." he shrugged, taking the bean out and tossing it through the open window after the vomit-flavored one.

Not all the beans were 'bad eggs', though. After her disastrous first sample, Nicole got chocolate, malted milk, cherry, _grass_, _Brussels sprouts_, _beer_, _liver_, toffee, _coffee_, and to top it all off, _bogies_. She bravely swallowed all but the last one, which she tossed out the window. Judging from his expressions, it seemed that her friend got a few 'interesting' flavors as well, although he didn't throw any more out.

He grimaced at the last one in the box. "I'll bet you ten Sickles that this last one is blood." he joked, picking the bean out of the box and holding it up.

"You never know, it could be wine." Nicole argued, then he grinned. "Let's split it and see who's right." he suggested, breaking the crimson bean in half and handing one half to Nicole. "To a good year at Hogwarts!" he toasted–half joking, half serious–just in case it was wine-flavored as she had suggested. "Hear hear!" Nicole laughed, and she popped the half-bean in at the same time he did.

"Looks like I was right. Blood." the boy laughed, and Nicole laughed right along with him. "Good thing you're not a vampire."

"Heh. Right." he agreed, chuckling. Just then the whistle sounded, and a message came over the magical speakers that their journey was nearly over. "Well, I'd better change into my robes. I don't know if we'll have time when we arrive." Nicole commented, standing up and rifling through her trunk.

"Good idea. I'll do the same." Nicole's new friend answered, and she left the compartment to find a bathroom in which to change.

…

When she returned to the compartment, she noticed that all the wrappers and empty boxes of sweets had disappeared, but her carry-on bag was still right where she'd left it. She smiled at her friend–who returned the expression with one of his own–then sat down across from him. Now the boy wore black dress trousers, a white-collared shirt, gray sweater-vest, a black and yellow striped tie, and black robes with a crest depicting a badger.

"Which House is that crest from again?" Nicole asked, and the boy answered. "Hufflepuff. The four great Houses of Hogwarts are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Represented by a lion, a badger, an eagle and a serpent, respectively. Which one do you think you'll be in?"

"Well, it's not gonna be Slytherin." Nicole muttered, and the boy laughed. "Yeah, I didn't think so. You have to have a certain– _disposition_ to be Sorted into that House. And I can tell that you're not like that. The Slytherins are a nasty bunch. You're much too nice."

"Thanks. I think." Nicole muttered again, still unsure of what House she may be Sorted into. "I doubt it'll be Ravenclaw. I've never been the smartest one in my class at school back home. And Hogwarts is bound to be even harder. I'll be trying to learn about a whole new _world_!" she agonized, leaning on her hands and placing her elbows on her knees.

"That's not certain, though." the boy argued. "Who knows? You could have a real talent for magic and just never known it. Don't sell yourself short before you even get to Hogwarts." he encouraged, and Nicole smiled a little at that. "And one more thing. Don't believe everything you hear about the Houses. Some of it _is_ based on truth, yes, but not all of it. The stuff about Slytherin is mostly accurate, but don't let anybody tell you that we Hufflepuffs are a load of dunderheads. 'Cause we're not. It's like the Sorting Hat says every few years: 'You might belong in Hufflepuff, where they are just and loyal. Those patient Hufflepuffs are true, and unafraid of toil'. Anyone who may not be brave enough for Gryffindor, pure-blooded enough for Slytherin, or may not be as studious as those in Ravenclaw, comes to Hufflepuff. We're by no means not good enough for the other Houses, we're unique. And that's what sets us apart."

"Does this 'Sorting Hat' let you pick the House you want to be in before it puts you in one?" Nicole asked, and the boy waited. "'cause I think I'm going to Hufflepuff."

"I'm pretty sure that it takes your thoughts into account. It's done that for a few new students before." the boy answered, smiling thoughtfully back at the girl across from him.

Just then the whistle blew for the final time, and the conductor made his last announcement over the radio. "Last stop: Hogsmeade Station. Please form orderly lines as you disembark from the Hogwarts Express. We wish you a pleasant term, and will see you at the start of Christmas holiday."

"Well, this is it." Nicole sighed apprehensively, opening the compartment door and exiting the room into the hallway. Her companion stayed right behind her as they shuffled off the train and onto the platform.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" called a booming voice over the throngs of students and students-to-be. "Come along, don't be shy! Firs' years this way!"

"Whoa!" Nicole gasped, and her companion smiled and explained. "That's Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys and grounds at Hogwarts. He's huge, but he's not scary at all and surprisingly gentle. He takes the first years to the castle by boats, across the lake. Second years and up take the carriages. I'll see you in the Great Hall, Nicole!" he waved as he started to walk over to where his fellow classmates were gathering.

"Wait a minute! I never got _your_ name!" Nicole called after the boy.

"It's Cedric. Cedric Diggory." he called back, then he climbed into a horseless horse-drawn carriage with three other students and rode off. "Watch out for the giant squid!" he shouted back, a beaming grin on his face, and Nicole couldn't help but shiver in fear.

Hagrid–who had heard that last bit–shook his bearded head at the upperclassman's warning and turned to the first year students. "Now don' yeh be afraid a' anythin' ya hear 'bout the lake. You'll all be perfectly safe while I'm here with yeh. Our giant squid has lived in tha' lake fer well over six hundre' years, an' never _once_ has 'e attacked th' boats as we pass o'er the lake to Hogwarts. You'll make it ta th' castle, no problem. Jus' like every year."

Some of the first years gulped nervously, including one boy with white-blond hair. Nicole didn't know why, but she felt an instant distrust of this boy, who had an ill-favored look about him. Just as she looked away, the boy in question turned his attention to her and sauntered over with all the pride of a peacock.

"Well if it isn't the little American student. Aren't you a long way from home?" he sneered sarcastically. Nicole just glared back at him and didn't answer. "Looks like we've got ourselves a cheeky one, boys! I think I'll enjoy playing with _you_. My name's Malfoy, _Draco_ Malfoy, and this is Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. You'd better stay out of our way, pipsqueak! Let's go boys!" then he marched off to the boats with his two lackeys.

"Who're _you_ calling pipsqueak? I'm at least two inches taller than you!" Nicole muttered under her breath, and a redheaded boy beside her snorted. "Nice one!" he whispered, and Nicole grinned.

"All righ'! Firs' years to the boats! All you lot follow me now!" Hagrid called, and Nicole shuffled along beside the redheaded boy and a girl with a bushy mane of long, golden-brown hair. Next to the ginger-haired boy, Nicole spotted the same young boy that she'd noticed in Diagon Alley. _Hey! It's Harry Potter!_ she thought to herself. _Wonder which House _he'll_ be in__–_

Nicole clambered into a small rowboat with a lantern attached to the prow, along with three other first years that she didn't know. They were all chatting animatedly with each other, though Nicole was clueless as to the subject of discussion. Something to do with a sport played on flying brooms.

…

When they were about halfway across, Nicole glanced upward and was absolutely entranced by the sight before her eyes. A magnificent castle loomed before them–every one of its windows gleaming with light–providing hundreds of little beacons that sliced through the darkness. "Wow." she breathed, and the three students behind her nodded in agreement, struck speechless. Nicole looked down into the glass-like surface of the lake and was awed to find a mirror image of the enormous structure flickering in the water around them. Then the boats headed toward a cavern-like entryway and docked along the edges, and all the students disembarked onto the stone pathway and milled around the base of the staircase where Hagrid stood.

"Everyone here? No one fell in the lake? Good." Hagrid asked as a joke, and some of the students giggled. "Right then. Up these stairs an' we'll come to the Great Hall. This way, boys an' girls."

…

Half an hour later Nicole was standing at the top of the staircase, waiting with her fellow students-to-be to enter the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall had finished explaining the rules, and that first-year from earlier had just offered his hand to Harry. "I think I can tell who 'the wrong sort' are for myself, thanks." he answered bravely, and Draco scowled and moved away when McGonagall tapped him on the back of the head with a roll of parchment. "We're ready for you now. Follow me."

Nicole and the others shyly followed the emerald-clad teacher into the Great Hall, where all the other older students and staff were waiting to welcome them to their respective Houses. As she passed the tables, she spotted Cedric on the table to her right, and he nodded at her in encouragement. Nicole smiled back and nodded, feeling slightly better about all this. They reached the Head Table, and Professor McGonagall had placed a wooden stool at the top of the steps. On the stool sat a very frayed, tattered wizard's hat. Nicole didn't know what she was supposed to do, but then the hat opened up along a seam and began to sing.

_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart._

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning_

_Will always find their kind._

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The hall burst into applause at the end of the Sorting Hat's song, and Nicole clapped along with her soon-to-be fellow House-mates. Professor McGonagall stepped forward again and stood next to the stool with the Sorting Hat. "When I call your name," she announced, "You will come forward, I will place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you'll be Sorted into your Houses." She took the Sorting Hat in one hand and held up a long scroll with the other. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of the group and sat down on the chair, and McGonagall put the hat on her head, where it sank to her nose. A moment's pause–

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat. The girl beamed as the table to the right erupted in cheers, and Nicole and Harry saw the Hufflepuff resident ghost, the Fat Friar, wave merrily at her.

"Aevum, Nicole!" McGonagall called, and Nicole suddenly turned beet-red. She hadn't suspected that she would be next. She tripped up the stairs to the stool and more than once nearly fell flat on her face, making her face turn even redder. "Look at that klutz. Her face is as red as the Gryffindor banner!" she heard Malfoy snicker, and a group of kids around him laughed too. Tears came to Nicole's eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall. She carefully sat on the wobbly stool, and the teacher put the Sorting Hat on her head. Surprisingly it didn't slide down as it had with Hannah.

"Aah, I see!" the Sorting Hat muttered so that only Nicole and Professor McGonagall could hear. "A whole _spectrum_ of emotions in this one. Qualities that would fit any one of the Great Houses. The question is, which one would best suit _you_?" it asked, partly to itself and partly to its wearer.

_Just not Slytherin. _Please_ not Slytherin._ Nicole thought, and the Sorting Hat raised a wrinkle that was meant to be its eyebrow. "I see a fiery spirit and determination to achieve your goals, suitable for Slytherin; a surprising wit and organized mind, right for Ravenclaw; a courageous heart, guaranteed for Gryffindor; and also loyalty and compassion, honored by Hufflepuff." the hat continued, as if it hadn't heard her plea. "You could go to any of those. However I think the best place for you would be–" The hat paused for effect, and a bead of sweat ran down Nicole's face.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" it cried, and Nicole sighed in relief. She took off the hat and handed it to Professor McGonagall, then bounded over to the gold and black table, where she sat next to her first and only friend so far–Cedric–who gave her a welcoming and congratulatory pat on the back. "Well done Nicole!" he grinned. "Thanks." she beamed, her cheeks still flushed red.

…

Half an hour of this Sorting passed, and finally 'Zabini, Blaise' sat down at the Slytherin table. Nicole looked to the staff table and saw that the headmaster had stood to his feet and was preparing to make an announcement. She listened attentively to the warnings of the rules, and raised an eyebrow when Professor Dumbledore mentioned the third-floor corridor. _That's _definitely_ not on my list of 'Things To Do'._ Nicole thought adamantly to herself.

"Now before we begin our feast, I would like to say a few words," Dumbledore continued. "And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" Then he sat down.

"Oh-kay." Nicole stated. "That was– weird."

Cedric laughed. "Yeah, Professor Dumbledore's the greatest wizard in the world, but he's a bit mad, too. Though I guess we're all a bit mad at times." he added thoughtfully. "Corn?" he offered, and Nicole gasped at the smorgasbord that had suddenly appeared on the table before them. Platters of various meats, tureens of gravy and oodles of bowls of vegetables and fruit of every kind littered the table from end to end, and the students eagerly began to tuck in.

…

"Boy, I'm stuffed!" Nicole sighed later after she had taken her fill of the delicious feast and dessert that followed. She covered her mouth and stifled a small burp, so that her House-mates next to her wouldn't hear it. Cedric did the same. "Me too," he agreed with a chuckle. "I always end up taking too much at these feasts."

"How do you stay in such good shape then?" Nicole asked, mostly teasing, but also honestly curious.

"Quidditch mostly. And wand-work in my classes. Casting spells is good exercise for your arms." he grinned. "Oh, Quidditch is our sport in the Wizarding world. You'll learn more about it from Madam Hooch. She's the referee and Flying teacher at Hogwarts." he elaborated at her look of confusion.

"So like Physical Education in regular schools, right?" Nicole asked, trying to compare the magical institution to ones she could understand.

"I guess so." Cedric shrugged, not familiar with the Muggle term. "Well, I'm not really on our House Quidditch team yet, but I want to be. I usually train with my friends out on the grounds on the weekends–when we don't have homework–and sometimes Madam Hooch lets us borrow the Quaffle. We use charmed cannonballs for Bludgers and a charmed walnut for the Snitch." he explained, only to smile at the utterly befuddled look on Nicole's face. "Like I said, Madam Hooch will explain it to you better in Flying class."

"Okay." she nodded, not really understanding it at all, but going along with it to spare her friend the need to explain for hours. Just then Dumbledore stood up and said a few more words, and everyone sang the school's song, all with a different tune. At the end, only the Weasley twins at the Gryffindor table were left singing to a very slow funeral march, and Dumbledore conducted the last few lines with his wand. Then everyone applauded.

"Ah, music." Dumbledore sighed happily, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! Now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

Nicole and the rest of the Hufflepuff table rose from their seats, then filed out of the Great Hall with the other three Houses. The Ravenclaws and Gryffindors turned to the left at the stairway–going up to the towers–while the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins turned right, down into the dungeons.

"Why are we going down here?" Nicole asked Cedric, and he answered, "Our house common room is down by the kitchens, on the first level of the dungeons. The Slytherins are deeper down and closer to the lake. However it's by no means damp down here, but it _does_ get a bit chilly now and then in the corridors. The common room and dormitories stay warm enough."

"Oh good." Nicole sighed. She hated being too cold or too hot. "The only downside is that we don't have many windows. It's the basement of the castle, after all. But we manage." Cedric commented, as the Head Boy of Hufflepuff tapped the barrel two from the bottom in the middle of the second row in a certain rhythm, and the barrel opened up to allow passage into the common room.

"Welcome to Hufflepuff first years, and welcome back to the rest of us!" The Head Girl announced, nodding to a few random faces in the group. "This is where you will live for the remainder of the term. The boys dormitory is through the left door and down the stairs, the girl's dormitory is through the door on the right and up the stairs. You'll find that all of your belongings have already been brought in." she explained, gesturing to the two doors when she mentioned them. "For those of you who brought owls, they have already been taken to the Owlery, for both their comfort and your own tonight. Announcements will be posted on the message board over on that wall, as will copies of maps for you first years. That is everything, and I wish you all a good night and a great year at Hogwarts."

Some of the other students echoed 'Good night' and filed to their respective dorms. Cedric and Nicole nodded to each other and smiled, then walked their separate ways and entered their dorms. Nicole climbed the flight of stairs to the girls dorm and began rifling through her trunk for her nightgown. She put her wand in a thin drawstring bag that she had sewn together on the train and placed it reverently on her bedside table. Then she drew her curtains around her four-poster bed and whispered loudly, "Good night!" she heard a few replies, then laid down on her pillow and fell asleep, exhausted but also excited about what tomorrow might bring.

* * *

End of chapter 2

Next chapter teaser: The First Day

Jeez. This is almost _double_ what my first chapter was. Oh well, there's just more information to cover.

Yeah, I grow to be _friends_ with Cedric Diggory. However, I'm gonna say now that that is all our relationship is _ever_ going to be. _Ever_. Just good friends. No romance!

–Okay, I might have a _slight_ crush on him, but it never amounts to anything. XD

I put several references to the movie and the books in this chapter. Let's see if you avid fans can spot them all. And the Sorting Hat's song was copied straight from my copy of 'Philosopher's Stone'.

I also make a reference to 'Twilight' in here. I couldn't resist! XD Although when I wrote it, I wasn't even _thinking_ of 'Twilight' at first. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Draco Malfoy is such an arse! I hate that brat! (except when he gets older, like in the sixth book. Then I kinda feel sorry for him.)

With the beans, I just wanna say that both Nicole and the author hate coffee, so that was one of the 'gross' flavors that she got. And I hate beer too. Yecch! (For easier reference, I put all the flavors I don't like in _italics_.)

I can't remember where I heard it, but I know that the Hufflepuff common room is down by the kitchens somewhere. I think J.K. Rowling said so in an interview at one point.

Looks like Cedric has something of a mischievous streak. Teasing the first-years about the giant squid. Honestly. Good thing he 'grows up' a bit by the fourth book (his sixth year). XD


	3. The First Day

Here's chapter 3!

* * *

"So what's on the agenda for today?" Cedric asked Nicole as they walked up to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Let me check my schedule real quick." she replied, and rifled through her bag for the scroll of parchment with her class list on it. She perused it quickly, then groaned. "Oh great. It's Flying lessons with Madam Hooch right in the morning. I just know I'll make a fool of myself."

"There you go again, putting yourself down. Not everyone can be a Victor Krum, but we all have to try." Cedric commented, nudging Nicole on the shoulder playfully. Nicole looked confused at the mention of the unfamiliar name, and Cedric grinned. "He's a world-famous Quidditch player. He plays for the Bulgarian team. You see him all the time on the sports page of the Daily Prophet."

"That would explain why I've never heard of him. I haven't received an issue of the paper yet." Nicole mused out loud.

"Don't worry about it. It doesn't _really_ matter. The point is, just stay calm and remember to breathe. I remember what happened in my first class. This one girl got so worked up that she passed out before she even got on her broomstick. Apparently she was unintentionally holding her breath." Cedric laughed, and Nicole chuckled as well, taking in a deep breath of fresh morning air for good measure.

"So what's after Flying?" Cedric asked kindly, and Nicole looked back at her schedule. "It looks like Potions, Herbology, Charms, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Astronomy tonight."

"Sounds like you've got an action-packed first day." Cedric summarized, raising an eyebrow. "The only class that I _will_ warn you about is Snape's. Potions. He's the head of Slytherin House. Almost every student outside of his own House loathes him, and I very much dislike him myself. Don't get me wrong, he's a _great_ teacher, _really_ knows what he's doing, It's just– he's–"

"A nasty, slimy, horrible git." two redheaded Gryffindors interrupted in unison, having overheard their conversation. Cedric smiled back at them as they entered the Great Hall behind them.

"That– pretty much sums him up nicely." Cedric answered, smirking in spite of himself. He wasn't the type to speak badly of anyone, but he couldn't help but agree with the twins' assessment. "Thanks."

"No problem." one of the gingers answered, and the other nodded and introduced himself. "I'm Fred Weasley. And this is George." Fred explained as he gestured to his brother.

"We're what you'd call the school's 'master troublemakers', excluding Peeves of course. Anytime you need a bit of mayhem to brighten up a dreary day, just let us know." George added with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"Yes, Merlin knows you two have it in _spades_." Cedric laughed, and both twins beamed at what they obviously considered a high compliment.

"Now if you'll excuse us, one can't fight off utter boredom on an empty stomach, so we're off to breakfast. See you later!" the twins called, once again in perfect unison as they marched over to their table to sit with their brothers Percy and Ron. Cedric and Nicole took their own seats at the Hufflepuff table.

…

About halfway through breakfast, Nicole heard the unmistakable screech of an owl and looked up, only to gasp at the sight of about a hundred owls flying into the Great Hall through a high window near the ceiling.

"Mail's here." Cedric commented with a grin, also glancing up to look for his own owl.

"Mail?" Nicole asked in confusion, once again baffled by the way things work around Hogwarts.

"Yep. We get our mail by owl. It's not the fastest means of communication in the wizarding world, but it's definitely the most widely used. And most of the time it's highly efficient. Speaking of which, looks like you've got a note." he observed as a tawny owl swooped down and fluttered onto the table right in front of her and Cedric, skillfully avoiding the marmalade jar.

Nicole took the letter out of the bird's beak and broke the wax seal, opening it up so that she could read it. Cedric watched her in interest. He was curious as to what the letter said, but he knew that it was rude to read other people's mail over their shoulder.

"It's from Mr. Ollivander." Nicole read, and Cedric raised an eyebrow.

_"Dear Ms. Aevum,_

_I do hope this letter reaches you before your lessons begin at Hogwarts, because there is something very important about your wand that I neglected to mention to you while you were in Diagon Alley. I offer my sincerest apologies for this oversight._

_While I _did_ mention that your particular wand is the only one of its kind and capable of casting a Resurrection Charm, I failed to mention that this will affect any other spells this wand might cast. For example, in testing this wand, I discovered some time ago that nearly every spell cast by this wand is quite a bit weaker than those cast by a more conventional wand. I also suspect (though I have certainly not tested it!) that this particular wand is absolutely _incapable_ of producing the third Unforgivable Curse altogether, as that would create a 'conflict' between the wand's purpose and the witch or wizard's intentions._

_Again, my deepest apologies for withholding this important information. I hope that you will continue to think of Ollivander's for any of your wand needs._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Garrick Ollivander, Maker of Fine Wands since 382 B.C._

_P.S. I have also learned that the 'size' of the life to be returned affects how much of the caster's life-force will be spent in the casting. For example, the life of a pet bird would be considerably less than the life of a human being.**"**_

"Okay– that's– good to know," Nicole commented, still confused about a few things. She turned to Cedric_–_who was still looking at the letter after she had finished with it_–_and asked, "Hey Cedric? What did Mr. Ollivander mean about 'the third Unforgivable Curse'?"

Cedric looked up from the letter with a rather grim expression. "The Unforgivable Curses are the only kind of magic that is completely outlawed. It is a terrible crime to perform any of them, and using any one of them can earn you a life sentence in Azkaban. That's our wizarding prison. Sort of like Alcatraz in the Muggle world. There are three curses: The Imperius Curse, which can make your 'victim' do whatever you tell them to do for however long you cast the spell on them; The Cruciatus Curse, a torture curse where the 'victim' will experience unimaginable pain until the wizard or witch removes it; And finally the Killing Curse is the third. I'm sure you can guess what happens with that one." he trailed off, his grim expression becoming even darker.

"And Harry Potter is the only person who is known to have survived it?" Nicole asked, and Cedric nodded, his grim expression fading to his usual friendly smile. "How?"

"No one knows. It's part of the mystery." he answered, glancing over at Harry and his friend Ron, who were talking about something. "Can we change the subject? This one is making me uneasy."

Just then the clock tower _boom_ed and Nicole got up from the bench in a hurry. "Gotta run. Don't want to be late for my first Flying lesson! This is gonna be fun." she added sarcastically.

"Try not to fall off!" Cedric teased as he too headed off for his first lesson of the day. Nicole made a face at him, then they both laughed as each went their separate ways.

* * *

"Good morning, class!" a medium-height woman with gray spiky hair and golden eyes greeted as she swept over the grounds in her billowing black robes. As one, most of the class answered, "Good morning, Madam Hooch." the rest of the class_–_including Nicole_–_was attempting to stifle yawns.

"Welcome to your first Flying lesson. Well what are you waiting for? Everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick. Come on now, hurry up." she commanded, and the students obeyed quietly and without complaint.

"Stick your right hand over the broom, and say 'Up!'." Madam Hooch instructed, and soon the crisp morning air was rent with the commands of the first years. Nicole tried to sound confident as she ordered her broom to rise, but her voice quavered with apprehension and the broom ignored her. Across the field, some of the other students were having difficulties as well. That reassured Nicole that she was not the only one not succeeding, and that gave her more confidence in herself in an odd, roundabout way.

"With feeling!" Madam Hooch barked, and more of the brooms rose to the student's hands. It was with a sigh of relief when Nicole finally got her broom to jump into her hand, and she grinned at the girl next to her, who had got it right on only her second attempt. The girl smiled back, happy for Nicole.

"Now that you've got your broom, I want you to mount it. Keep a tight grip on it, we don't want you sliding off the end." Madam Hooch instructed, and the students obeyed. "When I blow my whistle, I want each of you to kick off from the ground hard. Keep your broom steady, hover for a moment, then lean forward slightly and touch back down. On my whistle: Three, Two–" _Shriiieeek!_

* * *

Meanwhile in Professor Flitwick's Charms class, a certain Slytherin student was ignoring the professor completely, looking out the window instead and watching the other half of the first-year class in their Flying lesson. _Let's teach that American student how things are done here in the Wizarding world, shall we?_ he thought smugly to himself as he pointed his wand toward Nicole through the window pane.

* * *

So far things were going smoothly for Nicole, who had managed to kick off from the ground and hover in the air. Now all she had to do was lean forward slightly_–_

But it seemed the broomstick had other plans. Without so much as a warning it bucked, catching Nicole by surprise and almost throwing her off. It then began jerking this way and that as if trying deliberately to unseat her. It corkscrewed, it somersaulted, it shot up like a rocket and dove like a hawk, but somehow Nicole managed to hang on for dear life, praying with all her heart that she wouldn't lose her breakfast on anyone, especially not the teacher.

Finally having enough of the misbehaving broomstick, Nicole managed to swing one leg over the handle so that she was sitting sidesaddle and jumped off, just as the broom started to rear in the air like a horse. Luckily she was close enough to the ground that she didn't get hurt, but she still fell on her hands and knees. After she had dismounted, the broom was still acting crazy, and Madam Hooch realized that an outside force was tampering with the broomstick's flight, and that it was no fault of Nicole's. She whipped out her wand and barked, "Finite Incantatum!"

Suddenly the broom froze in mid-flip, then dropped to the ground and remained motionless, looking as innocent as a very old, beat-up cleaning tool could. Madam Hooch then returned her wand back to the pocket of her robes and looked over to Nicole, who was standing with her hands folded behind her back and her face beet-red with embarrassment.

"Well I must say Miss Nicole, that was an impressive display of perseverance as you held onto that broomstick, even when it was clearly behaving improperly. I don't know who was manipulating it, but it is obvious that this broomstick was tampered with during your little 'adventure' back there. Rest assured I shall investigate this matter, and we'll practice the same drill tomorrow so that I can see that you really _do_ know how to handle a _proper_ broom. Is that clear?" she asked sharply, and Nicole nodded vigorously.

Then something rare happened. Madam Hooch smiled slightly at Nicole in encouragement. "Like I said, that was an impressive display of willpower and bravery. Five points to Hufflepuff for sheer nerve and quite a bit of dumb luck."

Nicole grinned sheepishly and bit her bottom lip, feeling bashful at the praise. And with a final 'Class Dismissed' from Madam Hooch, the first years traipsed off the grounds and back into the castle to head to their next lessons. In Nicole's case, Potions.

* * *

_BANG!_ The classroom door burst open, and the Potions master swept out of the hallway and marched to the front of his classroom. "There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class." he announced, his version of a morning greeting. "As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the delicate science and the exact art that is potion-making, but for those select few–" he glanced around the room, and a few students grinned while others shivered in the cold room, "who possess– the predisposition." he continued mysteriously, pausing for effect and folding his arms.

"I can tell you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper– in death." he announced, glaring around the room and frowning at a few students that caught his eye. Namely, one student in Hufflepuff robes who was scratching with her quill in a notebook, yet looking up at him attentively at the same time.

"Then again," he commented, "maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts with abilities so formidable that you feel confident enough to be a distraction to the rest of the class." he snapped loudly, and Nicole quickly dropped her quill and folded her hands on the table. "Miss Aevum. _Another_ new celebrity, of sorts."

He swept over to Nicole's table, and the young girl couldn't help but take a step back in fear. This man unnerved her to no end, and she had no idea why. He glanced down at her notebook_–_wherein he found a shortened transcription of his lecture so far_–_but decided to pick on the poor girl anyway. "Tell me Miss Aevum, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Nicole wracked her memory for the answer to this question. She knew that she had come upon this while perusing through her Potions book just this morning! "Umm– I can't remember the exact name of the potion, but I think it's an extremely powerful sleeping draught. Right?" she asked hopefully, and Snape's scowl deepened. She was right. Apparently this Hufflepuff wasn't a complete dunderhead after all.

"I suppose that counts. Half a point for Hufflepuff. The correct name for the potion is 'Draught of Living Death'." Snape growled, sweeping away to pick on another student. Nicole's Potions partner_–_a girl in Ravenclaw_–_whispered to her, "How is that supposed to work? The point system at Hogwarts doesn't allow for half-points. What are they gonna do at the end of the year? Just round it off?"

"No talking in class, Miss Brocklehurst. Two points from Ravenclaw." Snape snapped as he swept by their table again. Mandy scowled at him when his back was turned, confirming what Cedric had said earlier about nearly every student hating Professor Snape.

"Since you are so eager to share your ideas Miss Brocklehurst, maybe you can answer my next question. Where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"

"A bezoar can be used as an antidote for most poisons, and it is most commonly found in the stomach of a goat." Mandy answered confidently, looking at the teacher expectantly.

"As expected of one from Ravenclaw House. Quoted word for word from the textbook Magical Draughts and Potions. One point for Ravenclaw." he judged, sweeping away to interrogate another unfortunate student.

"Jeez. Even when you get a question _right_ he makes you feel like an idiot." Nicole growled, but not loud enough for the teacher to hear, patting her Ravenclaw friend on the back in a reassuring gesture. The girl looked up and smiled weakly, wiping away budding tears from her eyes. _I definitely agree with the Weasley twins. Their assessment of him was spot-on._

"Perhaps it is time to ask one of our gentlemen what they have learned so far," Professor Snape mused to himself and out loud to the students. He strode over to where a Ravenclaw student and a Hufflepuff named Justin Finch-Fletchley were seated, and he demanded, "What is the difference between 'Monkshood' and 'Wolfsbane'? Finch-Fletchley." he selected the Hufflepuff, as he assumed that the Ravenclaw was more likely to get it completely right.

"'Monkshood' and 'Wolfbane' are in fact the same plant, which is also known as 'Aconite'." Justin answered resolutely, and Nicole beamed at him. That was exactly right! She had a feeling that Hufflepuff wouldn't be known as a House of dunderheads for very much longer at this rate!

"One and a half points for Hufflepuff." Snape announced, walking away and growling. "It is pronounced 'Wolf_s_bane', not 'Wolfbane'. Be sure to take note of that. This goes for the rest of you as well."

"Wow. _Two_ whole points to Hufflepuff from _Snape_. That's gotta be a record for a non-Slytherin." Nicole growled under her breath when Snape couldn't see or hear her, and her partner giggled silently. "Right." she mouthed.

"When you are all _finally_ finished copying your notes down, you will brew this very simple potion as a cure for boils." Snape growled, jabbing his wand at the blackboard and causing writing to appear from nothing. "There will be no need to talk."

…

Soon the dungeon classroom was filled with the fumes and gases of brewing potions, others stronger than others. A foul-smelling odor was coming from the table just to the right of Nicole and Mandy, and the potion at the table to the left had somehow solidified into something resembling rubber. Mandy and Nicole each worked at their separate cauldrons, and much to Nicole's surprise, her potion looked exactly like it was supposed to at this stage in her concoction. Mandy's was close, but it was producing smoke instead of a clear steam. Professor Snape walked past their table and peered into Nicole's cauldron. Finding nothing to criticize, he sniffed and passed by without comment. Coming to Mandy, he commented in a bored voice, "I would suggest rereading line six, Miss Brocklehurst."

Mandy looked at the board again, then blushed when she realized that she'd forgotten the dried nettles completely. She weighed out the proper amount and added it to her cauldron, which immediately stopped smoking and began to steam lightly like Nicole's. "How'd you get yours perfect on the first try?" she whispered to Nicole, just a little jealous.

"I guess the Sorting Hat put me in the wrong house. Maybe I'm supposed to be in Slytherin." she joked, not really serious. Mandy made a face at that, but then smiled. Nicole shrugged her shoulders and continued, "I guess I just have an aptitude for Potions. I'm not good at anything else though. You should've seen me earlier in Flying lessons."

"I heard about that. You must've been so scared." Mandy whispered, cautiously looking over at Snape, who thankfully was in the back of the room. Nicole shrugged. "Not really. My adopted parents own a horse farm, and we had this crazy colt one time who wouldn't calm down for _anybody_, especially the vet. That's kind of like a Muggle Healer for animals. One time he was being so naughty that I just decided to jump on his back and hang onto him until he got tired out. I got covered in bruises, but that horse has been the most docile thing you'll ever meet since. That was about a year ago. Now he's fully grown and about twice as big."

"Wow. You were only ten?" Mandy asked, impressed.

"Yeah. I've always been good with animals. And at science. Not much else though." Nicole shrugged. "Like I said, he was young and smaller when I 'tamed' him. About the height of this table at the withers, or the base of the neck."

"That's still pretty big." Mandy commented, then at that moment Snape looked over to their table and they quickly bent their heads back to their work. At the end of the class period, Professor Snape surprised Nicole by taking a vial of her potion and holding it up. "For those of you who failed to produce a satisfactory cure for boils, this is what it is _supposed_ to look like. I award three points to Hufflepuff for the student who managed to produce this batch. You know who you are." Just then the clock chimed. "Class dismissed."

* * *

Later that day–

"Hey, we're up ten points already!" a random Hufflepuff student noticed as he looked at the hourglasses of gems that represented the four Houses. "Wonder who got those?"

"I heard it was that one new American first-year in Flying class. She managed to stay on her bucking and cartwheeling broom. And apparently another three and a half were from her Potions class. Professor Snape actually made an example of her cure for boils. Finch-Fletchley got the other one and a half."

"No way. Snape's never made an example of Hufflepuff _before_. Who _is_ this girl?"

Cedric was on his way to Transfiguration class when he overheard the conversation. _Well done, Nicole! I _knew_ you could do it!_

* * *

The same time–

_Sniff._ "Why Miss Brocklehurst, whatever is the matter?" Professor Flitwick squeaked, looking around at the table and noticing that one of the students of his House was close to tears.

"I'm sorry, Professor Flitwick. It's nothing. Go ahead and continue." Mandy sniffed again, and Nicole_–_who was sitting next to her_–_rubbed her back consolingly.

"This reminds me. If any of you require help with one of my assignments or if you need to speak with me about something, do not hesitate to ask." the tiny old man offered, and most of the Ravenclaws nodded.

Mandy continued to sniffle, and Professor Flitwick glanced over again in concern. Since she noticed that Mandy wouldn't be able to explain by herself, Nicole did it for her. "Professor Snape gave Mandy a hard time in Potions class today, even though she got the answer right. I've heard he's really strict, but I think he went a little _too_ far this morning. And he took off two points just for talking in class– _after_ he'd finished the lecture."

"I see." Professor Flitwick answered. "I'll have a talk with our Potions master. Just because _he_ might be having a sour morning, it's not fair to the students if he takes it out on them." he stated, and the boys and girls that had yet to have Snape sighed with relief.

"Now that that is taken care of, let us get on with our lesson, shall we?" Flitwick suggested, and everyone listened to the extremely short man attentively.

…

"Okay. Last time." Nicole growled silently to herself, frustrated with her wand that it was not producing the results that she had expected. She had known from Mr. Ollivander's letter that other spells would be weaker, but she hadn't figured it would be _this_ much of a difference! She concentrated her mind and put her mental strength behind the spell that she was about to cast. "Wingardium Leviosa!" she recited for the umpteenth time, and to her pleased surprise, her feather floated up into the air just as her classmates feather's had, albeit slightly slower.

"Well done, well done!" Flitwick praised the class as a whole, as Nicole was the last student to correctly perform the spell. Mandy had actually been the first to succeed, and Flitwick had awarded her seven points for her House. Normally an achievement such as this would only merit five, but as Flitwick put it, "It's to make up for the wrongly deducted points earlier this morning."

* * *

The rest of the day passed without great incident, but Nicole did feel a bit of uneasiness when she entered Professor Quirrell's classroom for Defense Against the Dark Arts. And she knew it wasn't the overpowering smell of garlic either. After a long and trying day, Nicole trudged to the kitchens and tapped on the lid of the correct barrel in the rhythm of 'Helga Hufflepuff'. The pile of barrels opened and Nicole was able to climb through into the House common room.

"Hey, you made it through your first day!" Cedric commented happily by way of greeting. Nicole was much too tired to think of a witty reply, so she just nodded and sank into one of the plushy armchairs beside her friend.

"Is it _always_ gonna be this rough?" Nicole asked, dreading the answer. If Cedric answered 'Yes', then she was _definitely_ biting off more than she could chew with this whole 'Hogwarts' business.

"It gets easier. The first week is always the toughest. So much to learn, so little time in which to learn it. But don't worry. You'll get the hang of it in no time." he assured, and Nicole felt a little bit better.

"I've been dying to ask you about it all day, but I haven't really seen you since breakfast. What did Ollivander mean about your wand? How is it different from others?" he asked, studying Nicole with his bright storm-gray eyes.

Nicole smiled and pulled her wand out of her robes, setting it on the side table so that Cedric could see it. He studied it appreciatively for a good few minutes, then asked politely, "May I?" wanting to hold it. Nicole nodded, and he took the magical tool almost reverently and held it as if it were made of glass.

"It's certainly beautiful." he observed quietly, as by that time the rest of their House was asleep. He had waited up for his friend to finish with her Astronomy lesson.

"Yeah. Mr. Ollivander said that it was the only one of its kind, and that it was made as some kind of experiment. The wand itself is made from a unicorn's horn, and the handle is apparently mother of pearl. The core is dragon heartstring." Nicole answered, smiling just a little with pride that she had been chosen by this wondrous wand.

"There's one more thing that I've been wondering about." Cedric commented after a minute, giving the wand back to its owner. Nicole looked over, and he continued. "What's the Resurrection Charm? I've never heard of it."

"Neither had I, before I got my wand." Nicole shrugged. "I guess it's the opposite of the Killing Curse. Instead of taking a life, it gives it back."

His jaw dropped. "You mean– it can bring someone back from the _dead_?!" an incredulous Cedric nearly shouted, but checked himself just in time.

"That's what Mr. Ollivander told me." Nicole shrugged, not entirely sure how to explain it. "But apparently it comes at great personal cost to the caster. According to him, each time that a soul is forced back into the realm of the living, the caster's own life force is drained in order to fuel the charm in a manner similar to sanguimancy."

"Yikes." Cedric breathed. "That sounds painful. Are you sure that spell's not actually a curse?"

"No I'm not. But it's called the 'Resurrection _Charm_', not 'Curse'. Hopefully it wasn't misnamed." she laughed nervously.

"Maybe it was named that because of what it does for other people, and it's actually a curse for the caster." Cedric guessed, and Nicole nodded. That made reasonable sense.

"Problem is, that spell has never been performed successfully before_–_since it will shatter most typical wands_–_and the only wand capable of withstanding the process has never chosen a witch or wizard until now." Nicole imparted, a worried expression on her face. "So I have no way of knowing how to test it or exactly how much the price to pay is."

"Well I think it's obvious that you should attempt it on small things first_–_like small animals_–_before trying it on bigger souls." Cedric commented, slightly unnecessarily. Nicole made a face at him, and he grinned. "Well duh." she commented, and he snickered. "Just trying to help."

"Gee, thanks." Nicole commented sarcastically, but she was smiling too, continuing their little game. The clock on the mantle chimed 1:00 am, and both Hufflepuffs decided that it was high time that they went to their separate dorms to sleep. As Nicole climbed into bed between her silky sheets, she wondered, _If today was _this_ crazy, I shudder to think of what tomorrow will bring!_

* * *

End of chapter 3

Next chapter teaser: Tea Leaves and a 'Snore-fest'

Man, Snape is a _nasty_ piece of work, isn't he? I mean sheesh, how mean can you _get_? *points to guest* –Don't answer that.

*Professor Snape closes his mouth*

By the way, those teachers' lectures were copied almost entirely from my memory of the first movie. I admit that I had to change some things, though.

Okay, from now on I'm calling 'Defense Against the Dark Arts' just 'DADA'. It's too much of a hassle to type it all out every time, plus I'm lazy. XD

Nicole learns about the 'Unforgivable Curses' and quite a bit more about the wizarding world. Cedric gets to learn about her unusual wand. The plot thickens. Hee hee hee hee_–_ (evil laughter)

See you all next time!

Tsunami Storm


	4. Tea Leaves and a Snore-fest

Return, a Harry Potter fanfiction story by Tsunami Storm

Chapter 4: Tea Leaves and a 'Snore-fest'

* * *

Two weeks later_–_

_MRRROOW!_ Something meowed right into Nicole's ear as she slept, unceremoniously removing her mind from a very pleasant dream she'd been having. She turned over onto her other side and opened her eyes blearily, looking straight into a pair of bright blue cat eyes that belonged to the blackest cat she'd ever seen. The cat sniffed her ear, then jumped off the bed to go bother its owner or another one of the dorm room occupants.

Sigh. _Well, I guess it was about time to get up anyway,_ Nicole groused mentally, climbing out of bed and then making it, as was her morning habit ever since she was old enough to make her own bed. She then changed into her everyday school uniform and slipped on her shoes, tiptoeing silently out of the dormitory so as not to wake her fellow House-mates. She slipped down the stairs and into the Hufflepuff common room, where she spotted another early-bird sitting in a cushy armchair by the table.

"Hey Cedric." was Nicole's morning greeting to her companion, and she stifled a yawn behind her hand.

"Morning." he grinned, and then he yawned too. "Early lesson today?" he asked as his friend walked up to the table to get today's schedule.

"Nah. Somebody's cat woke me up." she shrugged, her excitement for the day rapidly waning as she perused her schedule. "Oh goody. Flying again right in the morning. Then I've got double History of Magic, then Potions, then Herbology, then double DADA. Is that the most boring day in the _history_ of boring days, or what?"

"You're right. That does sound like a 'snore-fest'. Double History of Magic. Wow. I don't envy you there. Professor Binns is bad enough for only _one_ hour. You've got Potions and Herbology, though. Those should be interesting." Cedric encouraged, trying to boost her enthusiasm by being a bit overly-cheerful himself.

"Yeah I guess." Nicole answered, brightening up a bit. Changing the subject slightly, she asked, "So what's on your agenda for today?"

"Me? I've got Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Herbology, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Ancient Runes, and Astronomy tonight." he answered, grabbing his own schedule and looking through it.

"Aw man, can I switch with you?" Nicole half-pleaded, half-joked.

Cedric laughed. "Unfortunately no. First years can't take Care of Magical Creatures and Divination. They're third-year classes. Tell you what: I'll show you something pretty neat after your DADA lesson and before my Astronomy. Then at least you'll have something to look forward to."

"Really?" Nicole asked, her curiosity and intrigue piquing.

"Really, really." Cedric grinned, then stepped through the door that led from the common room to the dungeons.

Nicole laughed at that, then sighed, "Well, here goes nothing." And with that, she stepped through the portal after her friend.

* * *

"Good morning class." greeted Madam Hooch as everyone lined up next to their broomsticks. "Good morning, Madam Hooch." came the sporadic chorus of replies from the students.

"Hopefully we won't have any surprises this time, as was the case two weeks ago." the coach said, making eye contact with Nicole and giving her a sly wink. Nicole turned red with embarrassment, visualising the incident clearly in her mind's eye.

"All right, you all know what to do by now, so I want you to follow me on your brooms to the Quidditch practice field. This training area is a bit small for my taste." Madam Hooch instructed, mounting her own broom and rising into the air, followed immediately by the gifted students and tailed by the not so talented. Despite a minor setback, everyone reached the Quidditch pitch in one piece. Nicole's broom was still acting unruly and it bucked when she was not expecting it, giving her a small bruise on her forehead. _At least there's not a scar,_ Nicole joked mentally.

"We're going to be going through some evasion exercises today." Madam Hooch announced, and the majority of the students looked excited. "When flying on a broomstick, you will inevitably encounter obstacles in your path that you must dodge or remove from your path to continue on. Examples may be birds, bats, buildings, or even other witches or wizards. You will divide into two 'teams'. Students from Hufflepuff and Gryffindor on one team, facing the students of Ravenclaw and Slytherin. When I blow my whistle, one of the two teams will be trying to avoid the 'obstacle team', and the other will be attempting to block them. When I blow my whistle again, the roles will be reversed. When I blow twice, that means the lesson is finished. Is everything clear?"

"Yes Madam Hooch." answered the two groups, and the coach continued.

"In this exercise, you are not to use any spells. Only your broom and your person will be used to test your fellow classmates. If someone is caught using their wand, it will cost them a fifteen-point penalty and detention with Mr. Filch. Is that clear?"

"Yes Madam Hooch." the four Houses called, agreeing to the terms and stowing their respective wands in their robe pockets.

"Very well. The first team that will block the other will be Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Hufflepuff and Gryffindor students, be ready to maneuver. On my whistle, three, two–" _Shriiieeek!_

…

"That was excellent, Nicole!" one of her fellow House-mates congratulated. "You didn't mess up once, in blocking or dodging!"

"I just got extremely lucky, that's all." Nicole shrugged, denying her apparent 'skill'. It was all sheer dumb luck.

"I think it's more than luck." her House-mate disagreed. "I think you'd make a pretty decent Chaser for the Hufflepuff team. _If_ they'd let first-years join." she complained, frowning at no one in particular, as they were the last ones to leave the practice field. They had decided to stay behind and help Madam Hooch bring the brooms back to the castle. "Maybe next year, eh?" she suggested.

"Yeah, maybe." Nicole shrugged for her friend's benefit, but seriously doubting that she'd actually be good enough for Chaser. Those players had to be _fast_. And if there was one thing Nicole was not, it was aggressive.

Finally reaching the castle, the two girls put the practice brooms in the storage room and went their separate ways at the Entrance Hall, Nicole to History of Magic and her friend to Herbology.

* * *

"Welcome_–_" came a misty voice from somewhere in the shadows just as Cedric climbed the ladder into Professor Trelawney's classroom at the top of the North Tower. "So nice to see you in the physical world at last."

Cedric looked around, but he saw no one. Feeling slightly unnerved, he took a seat near the front of the classroom and near a window, because he could tell that this room would get very stuffy. A middle-aged woman with bushy, mousy-colored hair appeared out of the shadows, then stood next to her table with a crystal ball set atop it.

"You may not have seen me, my dears, but I have seen you. Very few of our modern witches and wizards, so adept at the art of loud bangs and sudden disappearances, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future. This term, we will see if any of you possess the Sight." at this, she accidentally_–_or deliberately_–_bumped into her small table as if she didn't see it, and a few of the students snickered. The corner of Cedric's mouth turned up a little in amusement, but otherwise he kept a politely-straight face.

"For those of you who do not as yet know who I am, I am Professor Sibyll Trelawney. Of course, I have seen all of your names in my excursions into the near future, and I feel already that I have known all of you for a considerable length of time." the woman imparted, and several impressed whispers spread through the classroom.

"Today and for the next few weeks, we shall study the art of reading tea leaves, and once finished with that, we will move on to palmistry. Alas, as is the case with every class of mine, I am afraid that some who are present do not possess the proper spirit for the noble art of Divination, and there will be little I can teach you. Books as well can only take you so far in this field, and that is not very far at all, I might add." she announced, and a few of the more studious pupils grumbled.

"Now," Professor Trelawney continued. "I would like for one person at each table to select two teacups from the shelves and take them to their respective groups. A cup for each person is necessary for the reading of tea leaves. I will then fill your cups, which you will drink down to the dregs. When you have done that, swirl the remains around clockwise three times in your left hand, then set the cup bottom-up on its saucer and wait for the rest of the tea to drain out. Once this is completed, I would like for you to take the teacup of the person sitting opposite you." Sibyll explained, and the students quickly obeyed.

…

"Er– let's see_–_" the girl sitting across from Cedric faltered, nervous about having to do this for the first time. "Uh, well first we have kind of– erm, a bird, maybe?" she guessed, turning the cup this way and that. Then she looked in her book for the interpretation. "So it could either be a dove for peace, or a falcon, which means you have a deadly enemy."

Cedric raised an eyebrow but otherwise did not react, letting his partner continue.

"Oh my. This next one looks like a cross." she said, grimacing and looking worried at the same time. "That means– 'trials and suffering'. Okay, either I'm doing this wrong or this isn't a very happy cup." she guessed, looking up at Cedric with an apologetic expression. He smiled at her encouragingly and shrugged. The girl turned the cup counterclockwise for the last time and gasped, dropping the cup and accidentally cracking the saucer. "No. No that can't be right." she breathed, still shocked by what she had seen.

"What? What was it?" Cedric asked, leaning over to his partner and trying to calm her down, as she was starting to hyperventilate. "Hey, it can't be _that_ bad, can it?" he joked, attempting to elicit even a smile from the girl, who had turned white.

"And how are you doing, my dears?" asked Trelawney in her misty voice, and both Cedric and the girl jumped in their seats, having not heard her approach.

"Well I haven't read my partner's yet, but I think we need a little help with my teacup." Cedric explained, and Sibyll took the cup gingerly and turned it counterclockwise.

"Aah, here is a symbol that I haven't seen in a while." she breathed, turning the cup slightly. "The olive branch, which foretells peace. Yet it has only three leaves on it, signifying three years, I believe. The other is the falcon, telling us that you have a deadly enemy." she read, and Cedric thought to himself vaguely, _Hmm. My partner missed that first one._

Sibyll then turned the cup counterclockwise once again and read, "The cross. Trials and suffering. My my, this is indeed an unhappy cup." she commented, then she turned the cup for the final time and gasped loudly, dropping the cup to the floor where it broke into two pieces. The olive branch was the lone symbol on the smaller piece, while the three 'dark' signs remained on the larger portion.

Cedric was getting slightly annoyed by all the gasping, so he asked the professor this time. "What is it, Professor?"

"My dear boy..." she whispered. "I– it is difficult to say. I am loath to even speak of it–"

Cedric huffed and rolled his eyes, deciding to wait patiently until she finally decided to tell him. After a very long, pregnant pause, she breathed, "My boy, you have– the Grim."

At this Cedric's eyes widened, and a few people in the room gasped in horror.

"The Grin? What's the Grin?" a boy in the middle of the room asked loudly, one eyebrow raised in disbelief.

"Not the 'Grin', you idiot. The _Grim_. It appears as a giant spectral dog. It's the worst omen. An omen –of death." explained his partner, then all eyes in the room turned to Cedric, who shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

When she had calmed down sufficiently and collected herself, Trelawney elaborated on the reading. "The olive branch signifies three years. During that time you will enjoy a life of peace. But at the end of the third year–" she trailed off mysteriously, but Cedric and the rest of the classmates all knew what was left unsaid.

"So basically, I'm going to die in my sixth year at Hogwarts?" Cedric grinned, surprisingly nonchalant about the whole thing. Everyone looked at him like he'd gone mad, but he continued anyway. "That's likely." he laughed, not believing the reading of the teacup. "Sorry, but I don't plan on dying until I'm well into my nineties." he chuckled, continuing his little joke. At this the rest of the class tittered too, and each turned back to his or her own cup. With that sunny attitude, he picked up his partner's cup and turned it counterclockwise. "Well this one's easy. You've got an olive branch, the sun, a windfall, and– I'm guessing that's a ring, right?" he looked at Professor Trelawney, who nodded, still shocked from his grim reading. [pardon the pun. XD]

"So you got one of the best possible readings, and I got one of the worst." Cedric surmised, leaning back in his chair. "Isn't that a nice contrast." he smirked, still nonchalant about the whole thing. He said this last part to only his partner, so that no one else heard except the teacher, who looked like she hadn't heard a word anyway.

"I– I think we shall end there for the day." Sibyll breathed, still distracted. "Yes... pack away your things."

There was a loud rustle as everyone in the room excluding Trelawney packed up all of their supplies and filed to the trap door that led out of the tower.

"Until we meet again..." Trelawney breathed as the students left, "fair fortune be yours." then she turned to her crystal ball.

* * *

"Ah, a fellow knight comes to challenge the great Sir Cadogan!" a portrait announced as Cedric left the tower, making sure to carefully close the door behind him. He nodded his greeting to the painting, and politely declined the 'challenge', saying, "No thank you, Sir Cadogan. I'm just trying to get to my next lesson from here."

"I see! A quest!" the knight cried excitedly, with as much gusto as if he'd just found himself at his own surprise birthday party. "Well why didn't you say so? Let us move onward!"

Cedric smirked and shook his head (the overzealous knight didn't see), then he trekked down the myriad of staircases to the ground floor, where he left the castle to journey to the greenhouses. On impulse, he saluted his farewell to Sir Cadogan, and the nutty knight returned the gesture as he and his companion parted ways at the Entrance Hall.

* * *

"I say, _what_ has got you lot so subdued today?" Professor Sprout asked as she fed one of her plethora of Venomous Tentacula plants. "Usually this greenhouse is more of a _madhouse_."

"Sorry Professor. A few of us just came from Divination and–" Cedric explained, and Pomona nodded understandingly before he'd even finished.

"Oh right. That Sibyll." Professor Sprout laughed. "I'd forgotten about her little 'tradition'. Now tell me: which one of you will be dying this year, or in the near future?" she smiled, clearly not worried in the least.

"Me." Cedric answered. "Though I didn't believe it either."

"Yes, I thought so." Pomona chuckled. "Death omens are one of Sibyll's favourite methods of beginning a class. So you'll forgive me if I don't let any of you off of homework today. I assure you that if you die, Mr. Diggory, you need not hand it in."

Cedric laughed at that, and a few of his other classmates chuckled as well, relieving the tension in the room considerably. After that, Professor Sprout started them on re-potting several magical plants and herbs.

* * *

"Whew! Long day!" Nicole huffed as she flopped into an armchair by the fireplace, and Cedric sat next to her on the sofa.

"Long _boring_ day, you mean?" Cedric teased, remembering her 'snore-fest' schedule from this morning.

"You don't know the _half_ of it." Nicole groaned as she leaned back in her chair and stared up at the ceiling. "If I hadn't been taking notes in History of Magic, I would've probably slept through the whole day! Then Snape would've been _really_ mad at me!"

"What'd you do this time?" Cedric asked, his teasing tone still present. She knew that he wasn't serious. Everyone knew how tough Snape could be.

"Nothing! I did everything _exactly_ right, and then he goes and calls me an insufferable Know-It-All and a showoff." she pouted, a scowl forming on her face. "It's like that guy has a permanent chip on his shoulder. I've never seen him smile _once_."

"Neither have I, but _your_ situation is just because he doesn't like the fact that a non-Slytherin is doing well in Potions. He's completely biased. Don't tell him I said that." Cedric explained, and Nicole theatrically zipped her lips shut, locked the corner, then tossed the 'key' over her shoulder. Cedric laughed. "Thanks." Then he remembered his promise from that morning.

"Nearly forgot. I was going to show you something cool, wasn't I? Follow me." he smiled, then stood up and led the way from the Hufflepuff common rooms to the Entrance Hall, and from there out onto the grounds. He walked to Hagrid's house, then rapped sharply on the door three times.

"Yeah, I'm comin'. Hold yer thestrals." a gruff voice came from inside the hut, and then scratching noises could be heard on the other side of the door. "Down Fang, yeh great slobberin' lummox! Down!" the door then opened, and the giant groundskeeper appeared. "Oh, it's you. I suspect yer here fer _that_, righ'? 'Bout time. They've been waitin' fer ya." Hagrid said with a smile to Cedric, leaving Nicole in the dark and even more confused. He stumped off back into his cabin, returning a moment later with a giant pail filled with what looked like golden apples. He smiled kindly at Nicole, his black eyes twinkling. "Yer gonna like this. Trust me." he said cryptically to the befuddled girl, then turned back to Cedric. "You know what ter do with th' bucket when yer done, so– go right ahead. Jus' don' go too far in."

"I won't. And thanks Hagrid." Cedric promised, and the giant man grunted and nodded, shutting the door behind them.

Now Nicole was _really_ suspicious. "Why all the secrecy? What's this about? Where are we going?" she asked_–_no, _demanded_ of her friend. To which he replied with only a cryptic "You'll see. Just wait." Nicole scowled, but then followed Cedric into the Forbidden Forest, trusting her friend not to get them lost. He set the pail of apples down for a moment, then turned to his younger friend. "Here's a good opportunity to practise your levitation. You can 'carry' this pail with us to our destination." he suggested, and Nicole whipped out her wand and whispered, "Wingardium Leviosa!" channeling the necessary energy through the wand to get it working. As they walked_–_Nicole levitating the pail of gold apples before them_–_Cedric also retrieved his wand and muttered, "Lumos." The tip of his wand started to shine just like a torch, and the pair continued on.

…

When they reached a perfectly round, good-sized clearing, Cedric directed Nicole to lower the pail to the ground and stand perfectly still. "They're watching us." he breathed quietly so she could barely hear.

"Who is?" Nicole asked, but she only got shushed in response. "Stand perfectly still. They need to know that you're not a threat. You're a friend."

"_What_ d–" Nicole started to ask again, but then she broke off mid-sentence as her answer appeared out of the treeline. About two dozen unicorns of all ages stepped out of the shadows and approached the two humans. Cedric carefully grabbed an apple from the large pail and held it out for one of the magnificent beasts, keeping his palm and fingers perfectly straight.

A silver yearling snorted softly, then approached the third-year student bravely and stopped at his offered hand, snuffling up the treat very gently. Cedric smiled at the creature as its lips tickled his hand, then backed away as it crunched on the fruit.

"Go ahead. You try." Cedric encouraged, looking at Nicole out of the corner of his eye, not moving too quickly, as that might spook the unicorns. Nicole selected an apple from the pail, then walked just a little closer to one of the animals and offered her gift just as Cedric had. A small golden foal or filly trotted over to the surprised first-year, and she barely held back an "Aww!" The baby was so cute! It trotted right up to her hand and snuffled up the treat just as its older herd-mate had.

"I come here a lot." Cedric explained. "The first time was completely by accident. I got detention in the Forbidden Forest and somehow got separated from Hagrid. A unicorn found me just as I was about to be attacked by a giant spider. That thing must've been as big as _I_ was at the time. After the unicorn scared it off, it offered to let me ride on its back and brought me here. I've come back here ever since to say thank you. But in all these times, I never saw that one unicorn again."

"How do you know? Maybe you did and you just didn't recognise it." Nicole asked, but Cedric shook his head.

"That unicorn was unique. There's no mistaking it for another. See when I met it, it was missing almost all of its horn. Only a small rounded disc of silver was left, as if it had broken off long ago. And that unicorn was _ancient_. I've never seen one since that even comes _close_ to its age."

Nicole looked down at the wand clutched in her right hand, then held it up to a shaft of light from the setting sun. _No way–_ she thought to herself. _Could it be?_

…

After all of the unicorns present had eaten their apples, the two students bade farewell to the magnificent animals and exited the Forbidden Forest. Cedric left the empty pail where he was supposed to, then the both of them returned to the castle for his Astronomy lesson.

* * *

Six weeks and a day later_–_

In Charms class, Draco Malfoy and his two lackeys were having a silent laughing fit at what they had witnessed two months ago. Apparently the incident was so amusing that they were still laughing about it now. They were supposed to be levitating a feather provided to them by Professor Flitwick, but were too distracted by the memory of that fateful day.

"Did you see her face?! I was hoping she'd get sick all over the students, that would've been a laugh!" Malfoy snickered, barely containing his laughter. On either side of him, Crabbe and Goyle also chuckled stupidly, but they weren't bright enough to think to keep their voices down. Just then Professor Flitwick looked over at the Slytherin trio and remarked, "Masters Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. If you refuse to listen to the lesson, please refrain from interrupting my lecture so that the other students in the room can learn how to _properly_ practice the levitation spell. Thank you." he requested in his high squeaky voice.

"Sorry Professor." Malfoy apologised, seeming contrite, but then he looked back at his companions and snickered, more quietly this time.

"Now I want all of you to try it." Flitwick announced. "Don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing, hmm? The 'swish and flick'. Now you try. Say it with me."

"The 'swish and flick'." repeated about half of the class, and the Charms teacher smiled. "Very good! Now repeat after me: 'Wingardium Leviosa'. Then combine that recitation with your movements, and direct it at the feather."

After a few recitations of 'Wingardium Leviosa!' only one student was able to successfully levitate their feather, Hermione Granger, who was seated next to a scowling Ron Weasley. Emboldened by her success, another Gryffindor student attempted to duplicate the spell, but was rewarded with a rather loud, smoky explosion in his face. Unfortunately, his partner Harry Potter also caught some of the blast and his left cheek was blackened a bit, but not quite as bad as Seamus Finnigan's entire face.

_Snort._ "Look at Potter's face. That numb-skull Finnigan." Malfoy snickered, and Crabbe and Goyle nodded dumbly in agreement. Confident that he could perform the spell with ease, Malfoy pointed his wand at the feather and recited the incantation. Unfortunately he hadn't been paying any attention during the lecture, and so got the spell wrong. The quill of the feather pointed directly at him and somehow squirted about an entire well of ink into his face.

Just about every Gryffindor student snorted at Malfoy's unfortunate situation, and Ron actually burst out laughing, cheering up slightly after his embarrassing show-up by Hermione.

"You see what happens when you don't pay attention, master Malfoy?" Flitwick asked, finding it difficult to keep a straight face himself. _Those who don't bother to listen will get their just desserts. And sometimes in quite amusing ways, too._

* * *

"Troll in the dungeon! TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!" cried Professor Quirrell as he burst through the doors to the Great Hall and interrupting the Halloween feast. Professor Dumbledore stood up from his chair in the center of the Staff table and turned his piercing blue eyes to the distraught teacher. "Thought you ought to know." gasped Quirrell as he passed out, falling to the floor face-first.

The Hall erupted with the screams and shouts of the students, who were clearly terrified. Nicole happened to glance over at the Slytherin table, and let out a loud bark of laughter at the absolutely hilarious look on Malfoy's face. Cedric looked at his friend like she'd lost it, but then followed her gaze and chuckled as well. All of the torment that Nicole had endured over the past couple weeks had been worth it just to see the look on the Slytherin's face right now. [Tom Felton _does_ make a very humourous face in that scene. I crack up every time I see it.]

"Enjoying this, are we?" Cedric asked teasingly, and Nicole's smile grew wider. "Maybe just a little bit." After Dumbledore had calmed everyone down, the students followed their respective Prefects to their dormitories, and the teachers filed off after the Headmaster to the dungeons. Snape, however, suspected that something else was happening and quietly slipped through a side door that led upstairs to the third floor. This did not go unnoticed by Nicole, but she said nothing as she followed the rest of her classmates down to the kitchens.

"How did a troll get in, anyway? Aren't they supposed to be really stupid?" Nicole asked Cedric as they left the Great Hall.

"Brain the size of a pea. That's probably where that expression comes from. It was probably Peeves. I'd expect him to pull a prank like this, especially on Halloween night." Cedric shrugged, glaring at the poltergeist in question as he zoomed over everyone's heads, cackling madly.

"Oh no! A troll! What will we do?

If we don't leave now, we're all in deep poo!"

"Oh buzz off, Peeves." the Hufflepuff Prefect answered, his patience already thin due to the suspense. "We don't have time for this."

"La la-la la-la." Peeves completely ignored him, blowing a wet raspberry and tuning out his words by singing over them. Then he concluded the whole encounter by up-ending a half-full chamber pot right over the Slytherin Prefect.

_No complaints there,_ Nicole snickered as some of the Hufflepuffs burst into laughter and applause. Peeves took an ostentatious bow, then flew off cackling, "I told you! I told you! Now you're in deep poo!"

Shaking his head in amusement, the Hufflepuff Prefect led the students down to the kitchens and back to their House Common Room after a long and trying day. Especially with all the excitement. Nicole immediately climbed up to her dormitory and crawled into bed, finding herself suddenly exhausted by the harrowing events.

_I hope everyone got to their Houses safely._ Nicole thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep, an amusing image finding its way to the front of her mind's eye, and the girl's mouth lifted at the corners as she sank into unconsciousness.

* * *

End of chapter 4

Next chapter teaser: The Holidays

HA! I _own_ Malfoy in this one! Sucker! HA HA!

–Well okay, the _author_ does, not Nicole, but still, that was fun! And funny!

On that note, I'm _so_ mean to Slytherin! But it's not like they don't deserve it. XD All I can say is 'Well done Peeves!'

I bet you all saw _that_ tea leaves reading coming as soon as I stated the title and mentioned Trelawney. Except _this_ death omen _will_ come true, in a few years. *sniff* I wish it didn't have to, though!

–And Professor Sprout is quoting Professor McGonagall. I can't help it, that's a funny line!

(Wouldn't it be even funnier if he _did_ turn in his homework? You know, after? Just an idea.)

I have no idea to whom that cat in the beginning belongs. Just pretend that one of the girls in Hufflepuff has a cat as their chosen animal. You could bring an owl, cat, rat, or toad, if memory serves.

And I needed a little bit of cuteness in this story, as well as a little plot-twist. Hence the unicorns.

Well, as always, see you next chapter!

Tsunami Storm


	5. The Holidays

Return, a Harry Potter fanfic by Tsunami Storm

Chapter 5: The Holidays

* * *

Several more weeks passed, with the days growing steadily colder. Every morning in November saw frost on the small windows of the Hufflepuff common room and on the grounds. Cedric smiled in greeting as Nicole shuffled down the stairs from the dorms, rubbing her eyes.

"Morning." he greeted with a friendly smile, as always. Nicole smiled back, nodding her greeting.

"First Quidditch match of the season today." he announced as Nicole gathered her books for her classes. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Who will you root for?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

"_Gryffindor_ obviously," Nicole smiled back, and her eyes added a 'Duh!'

"Yeah, I thought so." he laughed. "I'll root for them too. Slytherin's won too many consecutive years now. High time for a change, I'd say."

Nicole smiled wider, nodded, and then the two friends walked up to the Great Hall for breakfast.

* * *

On their way, the two Hufflepuffs merged with a group of Slytherin students, who were following the Head of their House, Professor Snape. For some strange reason the Potions master was limping, and badly.

"Professor, what happened?" Nicole asked in concern, but the teacher just sniffed. "Nothing that concerns _you_, Miss Aevum." and Nicole fell back a pace, embarrassed. Luckily none of the Slytherin students had been listening, so it was a quiet walk up to the Great Hall from that point on. Cedric smiled at her, knowing she was only trying to help, but Nicole kept her eyes downcast.

During breakfast, Nicole bore witness to a strange sight: Professor Snape actually limping over to the Gryffindor table and speaking with their new Seeker, Harry Potter. Nicole didn't hear everything that was said_–_as the Slytherin team was making too much noise_–_but she definitely heard the words 'Good luck' in the conversation. As he limped away, she saw Harry turn to his friends Ron and Hermione.

"That's unusual." Nicole muttered quietly, but then turned back to her eggs and sausage.

…

"I can't believe Harry actually _swallowed_ the Snitch." Nicole giggled a few days later as she walked up to the Great Hall for breakfast. Cedric chuckled too. "Yeah, his methods were– _interesting_, but somehow legal. There's no rule that says you _have_ to catch the Snitch with your hand." he smiled, also amused. "Hopefully this loss will teach the Slytherin team not to be so cocky."

"Heh, fat chance of that." Nicole snorted as Malfoy came strutting around the corner, as always proud as a peacock. By some small miracle he didn't notice Nicole and walked right past her, his nose in a letter from home. Normally he never missed an opportunity to pick on his favorite victim, but today he was preoccupied. Nicole raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. She wasn't the type to start a fight.

"Hey, isn't that your owl?" Cedric asked, looking up at a Barn owl that just flew in. As if in answer, the bird in question swooped down to her master and landed on her shoulder, a letter in her beak. Nicole took the letter from Moon and stroked her fluffy breast before the owl flew off again to rest in the Owlery.

"It's from home." a surprised Nicole stated as she broke the seal. Cedric raised an eyebrow as she opened and read through it. Her face fell.

"What is it?" Cedric asked, concerned.

"My foster family isn't gonna be home over Christmas holiday because Dad has to travel for work. I guess I'm staying here for Christmas." Nicole sighed. Cedric smiled sympathetically. "It's not that bad here over the holidays. You'll have fun, I know it."

Nicole smiled at that, glad that she had such a thoughtful friend. "You're right. Besides, I'll see them over summer break."

"That's the spirit." Cedric grinned, starting on his own breakfast.

"Anyway, this way I can catch up on my homework." she stated ruefully, thinking about the roll of parchment that Professor Snape had assigned in Potions class as well as the essay for DADA that Professor Quirrell had set that she'd yet to start.

"Well, don't let studying take up all your holiday." he laughed, and Nicole shoved him gently, also smiling.

* * *

_BANG!_ "Today there will be a pop quiz_–_of sorts_–_to test what you have learned so far." Professor Snape announced, and even some of the Slytherins groaned. He strode to the front of the classroom, tapped the chalkboard with his wand, then sat down at his desk. As the title of the potion appeared, he commented, "You will have 45 minutes. There will be no need to talk."

Nicole studied the blackboard for a full minute, wracking her brain for the instructions to brew a potion to cure headaches. A memory sparked in her subconscious and she snapped her fingers, bustling to the ingredient cupboard. Gathering the necessary components and returning to her desk, she conjured a small flame under her cauldron.

…

Forty nerve-wracking minutes passed, and Nicole carefully added the last ingredient, as she recalled that this particular entry in her textbook offered a warning. If brewed correctly, the potion would emit a steaming belch of purple smoke when the last ingredient was added, then become clear as fine crystal. Nicole jumped back as he cauldron burped loudly and produced the cloud of smoke, then turned beet-red when everyone looked at her crossly for making so much noise.

Three minutes later a curious alarm device on Snape's desk began whistling shrilly, indicating the time was up. He flicked his wand at it sharply, and it immediately ceased its shrieking. He calmly strode to Nicole's cauldron_–_which had cooled by now_–_and dipped a phial into its contents.

"Once again, everyone in this classroom has surprised me with their increasingly-immeasurable ineptitude. I suppose I shouldn't expect much, as it happens every year. And not just with my first-year students. I expect to see two rolls of parchment from each one of you on my desk by morning of the first day after the holidays. Class dismissed."

There was a flurry of sullen and disappointed faces as each student emptied their cauldrons and packed up their supplies, but Nicole didn't miss the fact that Snape capped the phial and put it in the pocket of his robes. Just as Nicole stepped out of the classroom she felt a hand on her shoulder, an unwelcome feeling that made her hair rise a little on the back of her neck.

"Miss Aevum, a word in my office?" Snape requested coldly, though it sounded more like a demand. The girl nodded quickly and, wide-eyed, followed the man down a corridor in the dungeons.

"Sit." he barked, summoning a black, hardwood chair from nowhere and setting it in the middle of the room. Nicole sat down immediately, more than a little terrified.

Snape sighed as he took his own seat behind his desk, removing the phial from his robes and setting it on the table, then laced his fingers together. Nicole sat stock-still, her eyes wide and fearful and her back rigid.

"You can stop your quivering, Miss Aevum. You're not in any sort of trouble." the black-haired man growled, and Nicole relaxed a little. "I just want a few words with you."

"Okay." Nicole quavered, still quite apprehensive. Snape took the phial of her potion in his hands and held it up for her to see.

"In all my years at this school, even as a student, _never_ have I seen a student show such an aptitude for anything as _you_ have, Miss Aevum." he commented, uncorking the phial and studying the vapors closely. "This potion is textbook-perfect. Not _one_ first-year student has been able to brew a perfect potion of this kind since _I_ was in school." he continued with a raised eyebrow. Nicole shifted uncomfortably. "Tell me miss Aevum– who are your parents?"

Nicole looked up with a start, not having expected that question. She had thought he would accuse her of cheating somehow. "I– I don't know, sir. I lost my parents when I was very young." she stammered, and Snape's eyes narrowed where everyone else would've adopted a more sympathetic expression. She continued, "I have no idea why I'm so– gifted with Potions. I'm terrible in my spell-casting classes. Maybe I _should_ be in Slytherin." she joked nervously, but Snape's expression didn't falter.

…

After several extremely awkward minutes, the professor stood up from his chair and Nicole did the same. He asked quickly, "Which is your next class?" to which Nicole replied, "Herbology." He summoned a piece of parchment from a cupboard, scribbled something, then gave it to Nicole to give to Professor Sprout. Taking that as a dismissal, Nicole turned to leave. Just as she put a hand on the doorknob, Snape growled, "I will not require two rolls of parchment from _you_, Miss Aevum. Your 'pop quiz' assignment will suffice." Just as Nicole left_–_relieved_–_he downed the contents of the bottle and his pounding headache vanished immediately. _A cure for headaches as a pop quiz– Brilliant._

* * *

"Miss Aevum, you're late." Pomona Sprout commented as Nicole walked in, blushing as usual. "That's not like you."

"Sorry Professor." Nicole mumbled, handing her the slip of parchment. "I had to talk to Professor Snape after class."

This caused a few whispers among the other students, and Professor Sprout scanned the note before nodding and tapping a pot. "Welcome to Greenhouse 2, first-years! Are we all ready with our green thumbs?"

…

"So how was your second-to-last day of lessons before the holidays?" Cedric asked, in a sunny mood as usual. His smile faltered when he noticed Nicole's confused and lost expression.

"Huh? Oh, it was okay. I managed to stay on my broom in Flying lessons." she laughed, still distracted. Cedric wasn't fooled.

"What's wrong?" he asked in concern, and Nicole sighed. "Nothing's really _wrong_. Snape just asked me a really thought-provoking question. It caught me off-guard." she admitted, and Cedric put a comforting arm around her shoulders, sitting beside her on the sofa.

"He asked about my parents, and I couldn't tell him. I never knew them." she sniffled, tears budding in her green eyes. "I don't even know who I am!"

Cedric hugged her gently as she sobbed, feeling more like a big brother than an upperclassman and House-mate.

"You'll find yourself one day, Nicole. I know it."

* * *

"I do feel _so_ sorry," said Draco Malfoy loudly on the last day of Transfiguration class before the holidays, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home." he smirked at Nicole as he said this, and the already-flustered girl lost her concentration and hit her partner's quill with her spell instead of her own, turning it into a knitting needle.

"Master Malfoy? Is there something you would care to share with the class?" Professor McGonagall asked curtly, and the boy looked away. "No Professor." Minerva frowned. "Then kindly keep your comments to yourself next time."

Draco scowled, but then turned back to his work. Nicole meanwhile turned pink and apologised profusely to her partner, but the other student just winked and swapped items with hers. "Tada. No harm done."

Nicole smiled, embarrassed but grateful. "Thanks." she whispered. She had performed the correct spell_–_turning a quill into a knitting needle_–_but her aim was thrown off thanks to Malfoy. What was his _problem_ anyway? She shook her head, concentrating on the essay part of the lesson.

…

Hours later, as Nicole was walking down to dinner from her last class–Charms–her ankles suddenly snapped together, causing her to fall forward and skin her hand on the rough stone steps. She heard snickering behind her and turned to see a grinning Malfoy, flanked as usual by his two baboons.

Nicole had tears in her eyes as she muttered the counter-spell and got to her feet, but didn't let them fall. She glared at Malfoy. "What exactly is your _problem_ with me? I've never done _anything_ to you!" she asked angrily, but the boy just smirked and wagged his eyebrows once. "It's more the fact that you _exist_, if you know what I mean."

"No, I don't." Nicole retorted, knowing that it wasn't worth getting angry at this spoiled prat. "Enlighten me." she challenged.

Malfoy was about to say something, but then he saw quite a bit of red on Nicole's hand. He backed away. "Just get that hand looked at. Don't want to get into trouble with Filch, leaving blood all over the hall." then he marched off rather quickly.

Nicole looked down and saw that she was indeed bleeding badly. She muttered unintelligible words under her breath, wishing she could get back at Malfoy somehow, but right now she needed to get to the Hospital Wing.

A ghostly maiden floated past her, and she called, "Excuse me, miss? Could you tell me how to get to the Hospital Wing from here?"

The Grey Lady (for it was she) nodded, then pointed to a certain suit of armour. "The passage beyond the knight will take you straight there." she breathed in her faint, echoing voice.

"Thank you." Nicole smiled gratefully, then opened the passage with her good hand.

…

"Oh my, dear!" Madam Pomfrey gasped. "Whatever happened to your hand?" she asked as Nicole stumbled in through the double doors. "I got hit with a 'Leg-Locker Curse' on the stairs, and I fell and skinned it on the stones."

"You poor thing! Here, we'll fix that right up." Poppy stated, pouring something into a large bowl. "Soak your hand in this for a while. It will sting, but 'Essence of Murtlap' is perfect for wounds and gashes like this."

"Thank you." Nicole smiled gratefully, putting her hand into the bowl and wincing. _Perfect way to start the holidays._ she thought sarcastically.

* * *

Christmas morning dawned bright and early for Nicole, the sun reflecting off the snow and shining right in Nicole's face. On her nightstand was a note that her owl had delivered. She opened it up with eager curiosity, and smiled as she recognised the handwriting.

_"Happy Christmas, my friend. See you when term starts up again. Try to stay out of trouble, okay?_

–_Cedric"_

Nicole shook her head and smiled. _I usually _avoid_ trouble if I can help it. The problem is that _it_ always finds _me_._ She folded the note and put it in the pocket of her robes, rolling up her homework that she'd just finished the night before and carrying it up to the Great Hall for breakfast, planning to give it to Professor Quirrell in person.

Upon entering the Great Hall, Nicole gasped. The whole room was decorated in the style of the Christmas season, twelve huge trees surrounding the House and Staff tables. Holly sprigs were tastefully placed every few feet on the tables, and mistletoe hung from the enchanted ceiling and over the fireplace.

Shyly stepping up to the staff table, Nicole was very red as she handed her essay to the DADA professor, and he accepted it with a stuttering "T-thank you, M-Miss A-Aevum." She smiled and nodded, then extended the same greeting to all of the staff members, Dumbledore especially, who returned it merrily.

As she turned back, Nicole noticed with some alarm that she was the only Hufflepuff student that had stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas. Everyone else in her house had gone home to be with their families over the holiday. However Nicole just shrugged, not really minding being alone. A pair of familiar faces at the Gryffindor table waved her over, and Nicole accepted the offer to join the 'masters of mischief' at the gold and scarlet table.

"You're the only Hufflepuff left?" Percy Weasley asked, concerned as a Prefect should be.

"Yeah, but it's okay." Nicole answered shyly. "I'm used to being by myself."

"Well, we can't have that." the young man stated. "We Prefects can't just overlook a 'damsel in distress'. You could stay with the girls in the Gryffindor dorm."

"Absolutely! We Gryffindors are always happy to welcome a friend in need!" Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington added cheerily. "After all, the noble House of Gryffindor has ever been known for its chivalry!"

"Is that even allowed?" Nicole asked, doubtful but intrigued. She'd never heard of a previous incidence where students from two different Houses shared a common room.

"Oh, I'm sure it will be fine." Harry commented cheerily. "It's only over the holidays. No one deserves to be alone at Christmas."

"Thanks." Nicole smiled, grateful, and sat with her newest Gryffindor friends for Christmas dinner.

…

Nicole had never had so much fun in her life than over Christmas dinner at Hogwarts. Wizard crackers sat in the middle of the tables every few feet apart. She pulled one with Ron and it went off with a bang like a gunshot, producing a lovely purple wizard's hat decorated with a silvery crescent moon and stars for Nicole, and Ron got a brand-new set of school robes. Unfortunately they were a bit too big for him, so he stuck them in his trunk for another year.

"Excellent." he'd said. "That's one less thing to worry about next year."

The evening continued with Harry receiving a brand-new wizard chess set from a Wizard cracker and losing spectacularly to Ron, who was an old pro. Nicole tried her hand at it, but she wasn't very confident at all and her pieces weren't quite sure that she was the best 'general' to command them. Thus she accepted her loss with grace, congratulating the victorious 'Boy Who Lived' with a sportsmanlike handshake.

"I never was good at Muggle chess." Nicole laughed afterwards, shaking her head. "I don't know why I thought I'd be better with _living_ pieces."

"You just need practice, that's all." Harry encouraged, also in a merry mood. The Christmas spirit was infectious it seemed, and was spreading throughout the entire school. Hagrid was certainly enjoying himself up at the Staff table, calling for more and more goblets of wine until he finally leaned over and kissed Professor McGonagall on the cheek. Minerva surprised everyone with her reaction, giggling like a schoolgirl, her top hat askew.

…

"Okay, three trolls lumber into a bar," Nicole began that evening in the Gryffindor common room. "What's the first thing they grunt?"

Everyone was flummoxed, so Nicole smiled. "Ouch!" she answered, and the common room erupted with snorts and chuckles.

"Good one!" Ron laughed, enjoying the joke a little more than he normally would because of the merry atmosphere that had permeated Hogwarts in its entirety.

"Those have to be pretty intelligent trolls then, to actually form a recognisable human word." Percy grinned, as always over-analysing everything. Nicole shrugged, taking the harmless ribbing in stride.

…

"So, enjoying your first Christmas– er, _year_ at Hogwarts?" Harry asked conversationally a few hours later as Nicole sat down in the only gold-colored chair in the lounge, suspecting that the room had changed itself just to accommodate its Hufflepuff guest. Round the chair stood a pyramid of four presents, though Nicole hadn't been expecting anything special.

"Yeah, I really love it here." Nicole answered truthfully. "Malfoy's the only fly in the ointment."

"I agree wholeheartedly with you on that one." Harry laughed, smiling as Nicole bent down to pick up her first present.

The first gift that Nicole opened was a beautiful set of crystal phials, all coloured with a different hue. There were a few names that came with the gift, _'From Mom + Dad, Bret, and little Hanna',_ and the card wished Nicole a great New Year at Hogwarts; The second gift was a wand-polishing kit from one of her friends in Ravenclaw; the third was a copy of 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' by Newt Scamander_–_from one of her friends who knew of her love for animals; and the last was a small green parcel with a silver bow.

"Ooh, could our Hufflepuff guest have a secret admirer in _Slytherin_?" the twins jokingly teased, and Nicole responded by playfully elbowing the closer boy–in this case, Fred. She carefully opened up the package, not knowing what to expect, and was rewarded with the sound of a very loud wet raspberry and a cloud of putrid, acrid smoke right in her face that smelled of rotten eggs and other unmentionable stuff.

"_Nice_, Malfoy." she grimaced when everyone had stopped coughing and cleared the air with a Cleansing Charm. "A Dungbomb. Just what I've always wanted." she commented sarcastically.

"How could you tell it was from Malfoy?" Ron asked, and Nicole showed him the card. "Oh. Right."

"That slimeball. He's worse than my cousin Dudley, Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Aunt Marge all rolled into one." Harry growled, earning looks of confusion from the Weasley family and Nicole, who weren't familiar with his relatives.

"What has he got against _you_, anyhow?" Ron asked, looking at the guest.

"I honestly have no clue." Nicole answered, raising her palms. "I asked him that before I had to go to the Hospital Wing for my skinned hand, and he said something along the lines of 'it's more the fact that you exist', whatever _that_ means."

"He's just jealous 'cause you're such a natural at Potions." one of the Gryffindor girls from Nicole's class commented. "He's so used to being the favorite that he can't stand to share the spotlight."

"Maybe." Nicole answered, but she wasn't really sure. She felt in her heart that there was more to it than that, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"That and he's totally biased when it comes to what magical folk call 'blood status'." George commented, completely serious for once. "Some 'purist' families in the Wizarding world believe that magic should be kept within 'all-magic' families. Purebloods. People like _you_ just drive people like the Malfoy's up the wall."

"You mean because I come from a non-magic family?" Nicole asked for confirmation.

"Bingo." Fred answered. "It's probably also because you're a foreign student. That's rare at Hogwarts. You're unique. And that's what drives him batty."

"Hence all the animosity and Dungbombs." Ron summarised.

"Huh." she answered with a huff. Then, "That little creep."

"You hit the nail on the head there, Nicole." Harry laughed, liking this girl already even though they barely knew each other.

"There's one thing that he's got wrong about me, though." Nicole continued. "Mom and Dad– that is, Mr. and Mrs. Sierra aren't my birth-parents. I was adopted at three years old. It would certainly shut him up if _I_ ended up being more of a 'pureblood' than _he_ is. That would show him!" she grinned evilly.

"I like this girl's confidence!" another Gryffindor girl commented, pumping her fist into the air.

Nicole smiled fiercely. "I'm not gonna take any more flack from that jerk from now on. Next time, this badger is fighting back!" _Let's see how _he_ likes being the butt of a joke,_ she thought privately to herself.

* * *

End of chapter 5

Next chapter teaser: ?

I might have to write J. K. Rowling about that. Has anything like that ever happened before where there was only one student in a certain House that stayed at Hogwarts over the holidays? Where would said student stay? I mean, it would be a little awkward if they were the only one in their whole dormitory, all alone, for the entire Christmas holiday.

Malfoy, you creep! Grr! Why are you so mean to Nicole? What did she ever do to you?

I always wanted a wizard's hat! Yay! And Ron got a new set of robes! The Weasley's could use a break, even if it's just a small one like this.

Aww, Cedric's such a nice guy. More like a big brother than anything.

Snape's pop quiz was totally spur-of-the-moment, and I have no idea what potion _really_ cures headaches. I just made that up. But it _was_ part of the plot (sort of), so it's staying in.

On that note, I have no idea if there's a secret passageway that connects the Entrance Hall to the Hospital Wing. I made that up too. But I met the Grey Lady! She's really pretty. And helpful. (Well, to _me_ anyway.)

See you next chapter!

Tsunami Storm


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